Construction of an official residence for the governor of Turkana has been going on for 15 years, gobbled up close to Sh300 million but the project remains incomplete and the governor still resides at his private home.

Turkana residents will now have to wait even longer for an official governor’s residence after the second contractor abandoned the multi-million-shilling project, leaving behind another stalled flagship development years after construction began.

The project, initiated in 2015 during the administration of pioneer Governor Josphat Nanok, has suffered fresh delays after Landmark Holdings Limited, which took over the works in the 2019/2020 financial year, failed to complete the construction, citing delayed payments.

The latest setback has raised renewed questions over the value for money of a project that has already consumed close to Sh300 million.

Officials from Landmark Holdings Limited at the incomplete official residence of Turkana Governor on August 3, 2026.

Photo credit: Sammy Lutta | Nation Media Group

When the Senate County Public Accounts Committee inspected the site in 2023, members questioned the progress made against the funds spent, with the committee indicating that there appeared to be no value for money in the stalled project.

The governor’s residence is among Turkana County’s flagship projects whose construction began nearly a decade ago alongside the modern four-storey county headquarters complex in Lodwar.

However, while the county awaits completion of the governor’s residence, the project has become a symbol of delayed development and growing frustration among residents who expected the investment to create jobs and spur economic activity around the site.

County Chief Officer for Public Works Mr Winston Ebei confirmed that the county had started the termination process after Landmark Holdings Limited formally requested to exit the project.

“Together with representatives from the client (Office of the Governor), members of the County Implementation Team (CIT) inspected the site to determine the scope of works done and what remained pending,” Mr Ebei said.

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The completed project was expected to include the governor’s residential building, landscaping works, staff quarters, a public sanitation facility and a perimeter wall.

According to records presented before the Senate committee, the first contractor received Sh206 million for foundation works and visible structures before another contractor was brought in to complete the remaining works at a cost of Sh90.5 million.

However, the second contractor later stopped work while demanding payment of Sh28 million, resulting in the current termination process.

Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, who was part of the Senate County Public Accounts Committee team that visited the site, questioned the expenditure on the project.

He said the amount spent did not correspond with the progress achieved, arguing that taxpayers had not received value for money from the investment.

The incomplete official residence of Turkana Governor on August 3, 2026.

Photo credit: Sammy Lutta | Nation Media Group

For residents living near the project site, the stalled construction represents lost economic opportunities. They say the project had created employment for local youth and provided a market for locally available construction materials, while its completion was expected to increase land value and improve infrastructure around the area, including security, water supply and access roads.

Mr Dennis Eipa, a resident near the project site, said the construction had provided a source of livelihood for many families before it stalled.

“We used to work at the site to earn a living, and local women also benefited by supplying food. If the project is not completed, it will be a waste of our taxes. The current administration should allocate funds and complete stalled projects, including the governor’s residence,” he said.

The prolonged delay has also triggered calls from activists for investigations into how public funds allocated to the project have been utilised.

Residents want government agencies to establish whether there was any financial mismanagement or malpractice in the implementation of the project.

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Lodwar resident and activist Joseph Egelan questioned why a county flagship project had taken almost a decade without completion.

“Nearby Trans Nzoia County government headquarters was completed as planned. Did it have to take over a decade for Turkana to have its projects completed? Investigative agencies must give us a detailed report on the funds spent on these projects by the previous administration. If there was any malpractice by officials, they should be held responsible,” he said.

The stalled governor’s residence comes against the backdrop of other major county investments facing delays, including the unoccupied Turkana County Headquarters complex in Lodwar.

The four-storey building, currently the tallest structure in Lodwar, was designed to house the Office of the Governor and key county departments.

Once occupied, it is expected to ease congestion in county offices, improve coordination among departments and enhance service delivery to residents.

slutta@ke.nationmedia.com

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