The implementation of the County Aggregation and Industrial Park (CAIPs) project in Nasewa, Busia County, has come under scrutiny after the National Assembly Committee on Trade and Industry raised concerns over delays in completing the facility despite millions of shillings already being released to the contractor.

The committee, led by its chairperson Bernard Shinali, expressed dissatisfaction with the pace of work, questioning why the project had not been completed within the agreed timelines despite the substantial financial investment.

The Nasewa industrial park has received Sh275 million from the national government, while the Busia County Government has committed an additional Sh188 million towards the project.

Shinali criticised the contractor for failing to meet the agreed completion deadline, saying the slow progress was unacceptable given the amount of public funds that had already been channelled into the project.

“As a committee, we are not satisfied with the pace at which this project is being implemented. A significant amount of public funds has already been released, yet the contractor has not completed the works within the agreed timelines. We want to understand what has caused the delay and ensure that the project is completed and delivered to the people of Busia as intended. "~ Benard Shinali

The committee has now demanded a detailed explanation over the delay and raised questions about the utilisation of the funds already disbursed for the project.

As pressure mounts to have the facility completed, the contractor has been given until December this year to finalise the project.The committee saying the new deadline must be respected, with the contractor expected to complete the outstanding works and ensure the facility is ready for its intended purpose.

"We have made it clear to the contractor that there can be no further unnecessary delays. The project has been given a new deadline of December, and we expect all the outstanding works to be completed within that period. Public resources must be accounted for, and the people must get value for the money that has been invested in this project.”

Meanwhile, the government has given an assurance that the Nasewa industrial park will be equipped with machinery aimed at boosting value addition in the region.

Principal Secretary for Industrialisation Juma Mukhwana said the government was committed to installing cassava processing and starch production machinery at the facility.

The equipment is expected to provide a ready market for cassava farmers while enabling the region to move beyond the sale of raw agricultural produce to processed and higher-value products.

He stated that the government would work to ensure that the necessary machinery is installed once the infrastructure component of the project is completed.

"Our focus is not only on constructing the infrastructure, but also on ensuring that the facility becomes operational and benefits the people. Once the processing machinery is in place, farmers will have an opportunity to add value to their produce, access better markets, and contribute more significantly to the industrial economy of this region.” ~ PS Juma Mukhwana

The Nasewa CAIPs project is part of the government's wider industrialisation programme, which seeks to promote agro-processing, support local farmers, and create employment by establishing industrial hubs across the country.

However, the latest concerns by the parliamentary committee put the spotlight on the need for timely completion and accountability in the implementation of publicly funded industrial projects.