Trans Nzoia county’s plan to put up a new plaza that will host most of the departments is at an advanced stage.
The department for Public Works presented the design of the structure to a committee comprising County Executives and Chief Officers who were impressed by the architectural works.
In a meeting that was chaired by Public Service Management County Executive Sam Ojwang, the Public Works department revealed that the building will consist of six floors.
“The building will host the Governor, his deputy and all the departments apart from Agriculture, health, public works and water,” said Public Works Chief Officer George Wamondo.
The building is estimated to cost Ksh500 million.
Ksh100 million available
The actual cost will however be determined by the contractor after the tender will soon be advertised.
Finance County Executive Boniface Wanyonyi said, Ksh100 million is already available in the current financial year while the rest of the budget will be considered in the 2023/24 fiscal year.
The new County Headquarters plaza will be erected on a spacious County Government plot between Kitale Teacher’s Plaza and County Agricultural offices.
According to Ojwang, whose office will oversee the works the project will be completed in two years.
The design shows that the departments with huge traffic such as procurement and revenue will occupy the ground floor while those with little activities will occupy the upper floors.
The office of the Governor and the entire Governance and Public Service Management will be placed on the second floor upon the completion of the building.
Trans Nzoia Volunteers Suspended
Meanwhile, the County Government has suspended all volunteers at all of its departments.
“From today, each chief officer must ensure that there is no person in form of a volunteer. How can people claim they are volunteers and that they should not be paid? Anybody who discharges duties for the government is paid, at this time we don’t need volunteers,” directed Ojwang.
He also confirmed that 470 people who failed to participate in the county headcount conducted by a task force have been removed from the payroll.
“The 470 people did not turn up for the exercise and therefore they were not catered for March salary,” Ojwang added.
The Public Service County Executive also directed all Chief Officers, not to extend services to all employees who have attained the retirement age of 60 years.
“If we extend their contracts, then it means our children will not get jobs. Let them retire as we replace them with young energetic youth,” he said.
