Blow as acting Konza techno city boss quits

Mr Ngumi said Dr Adeya-We ya had performed well despite being in an acting capacity for the

Konza Technopolis Development Authority acting chief executive Catherine Adeya-Weya during a press conference in Nairobi on January 27, 2015, when she announced she was leaving. PHOTO | SALATON NJAU |

Posted  Tuesday, January 27, 2015 | 

A top official who has been at the helm of the Konza Techno City project has opted out amid claims of resource constraints and slow progress.

Dr Catherine Adeya-Weya, who has been the acting chief executive officer of the Konza Technopolis Development Authority for two years, said she had decided to quit and let someone else come in and lead the project.

It was, however, clear from her statements that bureaucratic tendering, resource constraints and the slow pace of takeoff had largely influenced her decision.

“I just felt someone else needs to take over this project after acting for almost two years. I may have considered staying if confirmed, but I may not have wanted it. For a project of this magnitude, we require the right calibre of staff, and a proper and sufficient recurrent budget.

‘‘What I was being paid as chief executive was less than what I used to earn in my former role in the private sector and so it is hard to attract the high calibre staff with that remuneration,” Dr Adeya-Weya said at a joint press conference in Nairobi with board chairman, Mr John Ngumi, on Tuesday.

PERFORMED WELL

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Mr Ngumi said Dr Adeya-We ya had performed well despite being in an acting capacity for the entire period.

He, however, added that the authority was prepared to continue with the little available resources since insufficient funding was a normal challenge in all government projects.

The chief executive’s term was to end in February, with an option to apply when the position was announced in November last year.

She, however, chose not to, sparking speculations around her withdrawal from the team she has led for months.

Mr Ngumi said: “In my view, Catherine has had one of the toughest jobs. Anybody who has worked in the private sector knows how hard it is to start a startup. It is harder in the public sector where you have all manner of stakeholders, and you got to deal with constraints and criticism.

“She is an example of what we should have in public service and we, as the board, would have loved her to apply. I have implored her to remain involved in Konza at advisory role to the project.”