The Sh120 million Kombani Fresh Produce Wholesale Market has remained an empty shell for four years since it was unveiled.
Reports have emerged of how senior officials in Kwale County have used the market as a conduit for siphoning public funds.
On the spot is CPA Hassan Ngalaa Chuphi, the man who has served as the Chief Officer for Trade since the inception of devolution in 2013.
He is now at the helm of the docket, and the alleged orchestra of the blatant looting, where approximately Sh500 Million cannot be accounted for.
Credible reports indicate that the county has since 2021 been allocating millions of shillings for maintenance and upgrading activities at the market.
The market was somehow, albeit the substandard levels, launched by the then Devolution Cabinet Secretary Charles Keter, the then Land CAS Gideon Mung’aro and the immediate former Governor Salim Mvurya.
The modern market was to have hotels, butcheries, closed and spacious open-air market stalls, parking lots and offices to run the facility operations.
It was supposed to ease traders from the burden of trekking long distances in search of commodities for commercial trade and domestic use.
Four years down the line, things have remained the same, with Hassan Ngalaa, a self-proclaimed deal breaker, accused of being at the centre of a looting gang within the trade department.
The market was allocated a total of Sh120 million, with funding from the European Union in partnership with the Kwale County government.
However, another report indicates the original contract was signed for Sh105.9 million, which was later revised to Sh118 million.
The market has remained closed due to ongoing court battles between the county government and the contractor, End to End Limited, who claims Sh44 million in arrears from a total of Sh106 million used for construction.
Despite the court case, Hassan has not missed the opportunity to siphon funds in the name of the market.
He is also at the centre of alleged diversion of funds that were supposed to be paid to the contractor.
Critics of the county have also faulted the EACC and DCI for colluding with him and other corrupt officers at the county.
Hassan has previously been linked to extortion of unsuspecting contractors in relation to the Sh.600 million fruit processing plant in Shimba Hills, Kubo South.
He has also been accused of colluding with other officers to divert funds allocated under the Kwale County Trade Revolving fund where the auditor flagged misappropriation of Sh26 million
