DP home upgrade to cost Sh152 million

Taxpayers will spend Sh152.4 million to complete the refurbishment of the second home for the Deputy President in Mombasa before the next General Election.

Office of the Deputy President last November sought to hire a contractor to upgrade the former residence of the Coast provincial commissioner into the official home of Deputy President William Ruto.

The Treasury will allocate Sh37.4 million starting July for renovation of the building, next to State House, on top of the Sh39 million allocated for the upgrade in the current year ending June and budgeted Sh76 million in the two years to the 2022 General Election — bringing the total to Sh152.4 million.

The contractor is expected to refurbish the house to befit the status of the Deputy President. The house is unoccupied.

“Proposed completion of the refurbishment works to the former PC’s home, Mombasa, for HE the Deputy President,” said a tender notice from the Office of the Deputy President

Former Coast PC and a past Coast regional coordinator Samuel Kilele was the last occupant of the house.

Taxpayers will also part with additional billions to build a second office in Mombasa for the second most powerful man in the country.

The Government opted against leasing an office for Mr Ruto in Mombasa on security grounds, prompting plans to build the block.

In Nairobi, Mr Ruto has preferred to reside at his private home instead of the palatial Karen property that sits on a 10-acre piece of land.

The Deputy President uses the Sh400 million Karen residence for official functions, especially when hosting delegations, besides his main office in Nairobi on Harambee Avenue. The Karen residence will be refurbished at Sh15.6 million and Harambee Avenue office at Sh35 million.

During official working tours in the Coast, Mr Ruto is expected to put up at the new residence as opposed to staying at beach hotels like has been the case in the past.