Kaimosi Friends University Vice-Chancellor and the institution’s management are facing tough questions over the financing, procurement and completion of a Sh645.5 million ultramodern library project that is now 81 per cent complete but still requires more than Sh371 million to deliver fully.
The five-storey library project at the university’s main campus in Kaimosi has entered its final phase, with the contractual completion date set for September 30, 2026. Yet, with only weeks remaining, the project report shows a substantial funding gap and raises questions over how the outstanding works will be financed and completed on time.
The matter came under scrutiny during a site visit by the National Assembly Public Investment Committee on Governance and Education, which questioned the university management over both the project’s finances and procurement arrangements.
Committee chairman and Luanda MP Dickson Maungu and Kiminini MP Kakai Bissau demanded greater clarity from the university, with Bissau, a procurement expert, questioning the decision to split the project into several contracts.
Maungu was equally critical of the procurement process, warning that weaknesses in procurement could undermine the quality and professionalism of the project.
‘’The procurement was not done adequately, and this will affect professionalism. Why split the contracts? It’s not right at all.’’
The remarks place the university administration under pressure to explain why the Sh645.5 million project was divided among several contractors and whether the arrangement represented value for money.
The committee directed the university to resubmit a proper and improved report, signalling that the initial information presented to MPs was not sufficient to answer the concerns surrounding the project.
Despite the concerns, Maungu pledged the committee’s support to the institution, acknowledging that the university requires assistance to complete the project and improve its facilities.
‘’We as the committee we shall ensure that we assist the university to reach to its level in this county and we have to admit that you need support to greater heights.’’
The project report indicates that the library had reached 81 per cent completion by August 2026, with Sh274,074,195 certified, representing 42.4 per cent of the total contract sum of Sh645,555,963.
The figures present a striking gap between physical progress and financial certification. Although four-fifths of the construction is reported to be complete, less than half of the total contract sum had been certified.
The report shows that Sh274,074,195 had been paid to date, leaving a balance of Sh371,481,768 as of August 2026.
The report also identifies Sh371,481,678.12 in pending works, including Sh118,463,000.10 for finishes and Sh40,944,290 for landscaping and civil works, including parking and the approach road.
Furniture and equipment will require another Sh80.2 million, while building services infrastructure and subcontracted works account for Sh131,874,478.02.
This leaves the Vice-Chancellor and university management with a crucial question: where will the money come from, particularly with the contractual deadline fast approaching?
The project is described as a “Five (5)-storey library block, inclusive of a basement and terrace, together with all associated civil, electrical, and mechanical works.”
Upon completion, the facility is expected to provide 9,397 square metres of floor space and accommodate about 8,500 students.
Its completion is considered critical because the university currently lacks a functional library facility. Students have been relying on a lecture hall that was “temporarily converted for library use.”
The funding history has also raised questions about how the project has been sustained over the years.
In 2021/2022, the project received an allocation and disbursement of Sh50 million, against actual expenditure of Sh30.95 million, with completion at seven per cent.
In 2022/2023, Sh57.89 million was allocated and disbursed, while actual expenditure stood at Sh43.26 million as completion rose to 18 per cent.
In 2023/2024, Sh40 million was allocated but only Sh21.25 million was disbursed. Actual expenditure, however, stood at Sh41.34 million, with completion reaching 26 per cent.
In 2024/2025, there was no recorded budget allocation or disbursement, yet actual expenditure rose to Sh90.2 million, pushing completion to 46 per cent.
During 2025/2026, Sh25 million was allocated and fully disbursed, while actual expenditure reached Sh68.33 million and completion rose to 71 per cent.
For 2026/2027, the report records a printed budget estimate of Sh50 million, but no actual disbursement or expenditure at the time of the report, even though physical completion had reached 81 per cent.
Cumulatively, the report puts budget allocations at Sh222.89 million, actual disbursements at Sh154.14 million and expenditure at Sh274.07 million.
The disparity raises a fundamental accountability issue for university management: how was expenditure exceeding recorded disbursements financed, and what funding mechanism has been used to keep the project moving?
The construction has been distributed among several contractors. Pinnie Agency Ltd is the main contractor under a Sh454,697,725 contract.
Top Choice Surveillance Ltd is handling generator installations valued at Sh19,493,725 and lift installations worth Sh19,051,947.
Contemporary Engineering Company Ltd is undertaking electrical works valued at Sh28,713,241, while Spans Venture Ltd is responsible for structured cabling and IPBX works worth Sh63,297,868.67.
Carecon Trading Company Ltd is undertaking plumbing and drainage works valued at Sh32,748,000, as well as HVAC and kitchen equipment worth Sh27,553,456.
The combined project sum stands at Sh645,555,963.
With September 30, 2026 approaching, the university now faces a race against time to secure the remaining resources, complete the outstanding works and equip the facility.
For the parliamentary committee, however, completion is only one part of the equation. The procurement decisions, financing arrangements and expenditure patterns must also withstand scrutiny.
The library was conceived as a major investment in the university’s academic infrastructure. Its completion would provide students with a purpose-built facility featuring a reception lobby, book stack areas and multiple floors designed to serve the institution’s growing population.
But until the outstanding Sh371.48 million is secured and the remaining works completed, the project remains an unfinished investment.
The parliamentary committee’s demand for an improved report now puts the university management on notice.
The Vice-Chancellor and the institution’s leadership must demonstrate how the outstanding works will be financed, explain the decision to split the contracts and account for the project’s expenditure against actual disbursements.
For the 8,500 students expected to use the facility, the issue is straightforward: after years of construction and millions of shillings committed to the project, they need a functional library not another prolonged wait.
The September deadline will therefore be a critical test not only of the university’s ability to complete the project, but also of its financial and procurement management.