Rebecca Miano’s appearance before the Senate has brought fresh scrutiny to the Sh45 billion Bomas International Convention Centre project, particularly over who holds the contract and who should answer questions about its implementation.
The Tourism Cabinet Secretary appeared before a Senate committee to respond to concerns surrounding the project. During the session, senators sought access to the main contract and other documents linked to the construction.
Miano explained that the Ministry of Defence was responsible for procurement, contracting and technical supervision, while Tourism retained responsibility for the project’s ownership, marketing and positioning as a major conference destination.
The arrangement has raised questions among senators because the Ministry of Tourism is closely involved with the project and its financing but does not hold the main contract.
The committee has since demanded that Defence provide the contract, procurement records and other documents needed to examine the project.
The issue has also attracted public criticism. Agnes Momanyi questioned the arrangement in a Facebook post, raising concerns over how one ministry can own and oversee a project while another ministry keeps the key contract documents.
Her concerns touch on a wider question of accountability. If public funds are being used for a project under the Tourism docket, Kenyans may reasonably expect the responsible ministry to have access to the agreements governing how the money is spent.
The Bomas project was initially awarded to Turkish firm Summa Turizm Yatirimciligi in November 2023 at about Sh31.6 billion.
The Ministry of Defence later moved to terminate the award, leading to a legal dispute. In April 2025, the Court of Appeal dismissed Defence’s challenge to the Sh31.6 billion tender after finding that the ministry had filed its case outside the required legal period.
The project later moved to China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC). Current reports put the overall project cost at about Sh45.1 billion, while the CRBC construction contract is reported at about Sh41.9 billion.
This means the project’s reported overall cost is now more than Sh13 billion above the original figure.
The increase in cost is one of the issues that has attracted attention from Parliament. Senators want to understand the procurement process, the financing arrangements, the changes in project scope and how the current figures were arrived at.
Questions have also been raised about the financing structure. Reports have linked the project to funding through the Tourism Fund, with annual payments of about Sh4.5 billion.
The concerns raised by critics are not simply about building a convention centre, but about whether the financial arrangements can be clearly explained to the public.
The involvement of the Ministry of Defence has also become a major part of the debate.
The government has previously explained that Defence was given responsibility because of the scale, complexity and technical requirements of the project.
Miano maintained before the Senate that Defence remained responsible for technical supervision and project management, while Tourism handled the tourism-related side of the facility.
However, senators have questioned whether this division of responsibilities makes it harder to establish who should be held accountable when questions arise over the use of public funds.
The Bomas International Convention Centre is intended to expand Kenya’s ability to host major international conferences and strengthen Nairobi’s position as a meetings and events destination.
Parliament has previously said the project could help attract international investors, boost conference tourism and create employment opportunities.
There is therefore little dispute over the need for modern conference facilities. The bigger concern is whether the project is being implemented in a way that allows taxpayers and Parliament to clearly follow the money.
The Senate’s demand for the contract could help provide some of those answers. Access to the procurement documents, financing agreements and project records would allow lawmakers to establish how the project moved from the original Sh31.6 billion award to the current figures and what obligations the government has entered into.
For taxpayers, the issue goes beyond the construction of a new convention centre. It is about knowing who signed the agreements, who controls the funds, how much Kenya will ultimately pay and which public office will be responsible for answering when questions arise.
Until those documents are made available to the committee, questions over the Bomas project are likely to remain, particularly over the sharp rise in cost and the unusual division of responsibilities between the Ministries of Tourism and Defence.
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