PHOTOS: Sh500M spent & 30-year delay, can this government project be saved?

The story of the Migori County Commissioner’s headquarters dates back to the early 1990s, when the project was first conceived to create a central space for county administration and improve governance. 

Before the new constitution that introduced the County Commissioner, the building was supposed to be the seat of power in the South Nyanza region. 

The idea was to bring efficiency to service delivery and provide better working conditions for public servants. 

However, as the years went by, the project faced numerous setbacks: bureaucratic inefficiencies, changes in leadership, financial mismanagement, and delays in construction work all played a role in stalling its progress.

By 2025, the building was only about halfway done, and the project was already estimated to have cost around Sh500 million. 

For many locals, the sight of the incomplete structure became a daily reminder of the unrealised potential of their county’s administrative capacity.

In recent years, local Members of Parliament (MPs) have turned their attention to the stalled headquarters, pushing for the project’s revival. 

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In December 2021, a group of MPs from various constituencies in Migori, including Awendo, Rongo, and Kuria East, met with then-Devolution Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa to discuss how to bring the headquarters to completion. 

The MPs emphasised how important the building was not only for improving local governance but also for creating jobs and boosting the county’s economic growth.

However, just like past efforts, there was no significant movement in the completion of the project. 

In April 2025, the National Assembly's Committee on Administration and National Security visited the long-stalled Migori County headquarters to assess its structural integrity and determine the feasibility of completing the project. 

“As a committee, we will be writing a report and recommendations for money to be allocated in the 2025/2026 budget to complete the project to serve the county residents,” the committee chair, Lari MP Mburu Kahangara, said. 

A Fresh Boost

During his "Jukwaa La Usalama" tour of Migori County on September 11, 2025, Interior and National Administration Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen addressed plans for the Migori County Commissioner’s Office Complex.

He acknowledged that the Migori County Commissioner’s Office Complex had been a critical project that had faced delays for decades. 

However, Murkomen assured that the government was now focused on fast-tracking the completion of the facility by allocating the necessary resources and working closely with all relevant agencies to ensure that the project was revived and finalised without further delay.

He stated that once completed, the facility would significantly enhance the coordination and execution of government functions within the county, as well as improve access to essential services for the residents of Migori. 

Murkomen also linked the completion of the project to the broader government commitment to strengthening security, governance, and development across all counties.