Trans Nzoia Residents Approve Construction of New Sh.500 Million County Headquarters
Trans Nzoia residents have given approval to their County Government to construct a new building complex that will house the Governor and other departments at a cost of Ksh.500 million.
During a public participation forum held at Kitale Museum Hall, the residents expressed their support for the project, stating that it will provide essential services within their proximity.
According to Janet Silali, a resident, the proposed county plaza will reduce the need to move around to access services from various departments, making it more convenient.
However, Silali urged the county government to provide job opportunities to unskilled youth from the area during the construction phase.
Emma Barasa from Sitatunga ward stated that apart from centralizing the services, the project will also beautify the town.
The Department of Public Works has released the architectural design for the project to the Department of Public Service Management, which has already allocated funds for it.
Public service chief officer, Kennedy Etiang, and his Governance counterpart, Sammy Sichangi, led the county in receiving views from the residents.
Etiang revealed that after the residents’ approval of the project, his department will advertise a tender for the project in one to two weeks.
He added that the new building would provide a conducive environment for the governor, his team, and the entire human resource to deliver services to the people.
According to Sichangi, the six-storey building will have a boardroom, a prayer room, a gym space for workers, and spacious waiting rooms for members of the public on each floor.
The building will be erected on a spacious 10-acre piece of land between Teachers Plaza and County Agricultural offices.
The project is expected to accommodate 80% of the departments and will cost Ksh.500 million to complete within three years.
Finance CEC, Boniface Wanyonyi, has confirmed that Ksh.100 million is available for the project this financial year, with the rest of the funds to be budgeted in the new fiscal year.
The architectural design shows that departments with high traffic will occupy the ground floors while those with less activity will occupy the upper floors. Some of the departments that will occupy the ground floors include procurement, revenue, gender, and sports.
The Governor, his deputy, and the Governance and Public Service Management departments will occupy the second floor.
Currently, the Governor and his deputy operate from the Town Hall structure, which was renovated and used by former Governor Patrick Khaemba. The structure also accommodates the Deputy Governor, Finance, and Public Service Management departments. The Health Department is situated on Doctors Plaza, while the trade and water and procurement departments are placed behind Kitale police station within Jua Kali area.
The essential communications unit, revenue, and County enforcement units are situated at MEA buildings opposite Town Hall, while the Lands Department occupies Ardhi House next to the County Provincial Administration premises. The Gender, Education, and Sports departments are on the Social Hall premises, while the Public Works Department is located next to Kenya Seed, a kilometer away from Kitale town.
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