Funding hitches stall road projects in county

Challenges in funding will delay completion of six link roads in Kajiado County by eight months.

China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation, the firm contracted to build the roads, told Sunday Nation that the Sh2.7 billion stretch covering 65 kilometres will be completed in February 2022 and not June 2021 as earlier planned.

Construction started last July. The link roads are being upgraded into bitumen standards to ease traffic in the county.

“The advance payment has been delayed for so long. The payments haven’t been finished up to now which is a huge problem. As a matter of fact, we have only received Sh120 million to date,” said a spokesperson from China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation on condition of anonymity.

He also cited delays in shifting water, sewer and electricity lines and delays by the government to compensate land owners whose projects lies along the corridor.

“Previously, Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KeRRA) instructed the contractor to start with route number but land compensation was not solved and the contractor has not been able to work,” said the source.

KeRRA’s public relation’s manager Catherine Butaki, who could not give a specific reason as to why the road had stalled for nearly a year, rebutted the claims saying works on the roads will be completed on time.

She said the contractor was still mobilising workers for the actual construction to begin and has set up a camp which includes his offices and a place to store his equipment.

“The contract is on course and within the contract period and time. Therefore, the contract has not lapsed. As you may note the project includes several links which will be carried out by the contract as per the work plan,” said Ms Butaki.

The first section of the road starts from Ongata Rongai-Gataka and ends at Embulbul along Ngong Road.

The second link starts at Co-operative College in Karen and ends at Matasia along Ngong-Kiserian Road.

The third loop starts at Matasia along Ngong Kiserian road and ends at Nkoroi along Ongata-Rongai Kiserian road.

The fourth link starts at Ongata Rongai (Maasai Lodge junction) through Nazarene University and ends at Rimpa along Ongata Rongai Kiserian Road.

The fifth stretch begins along Kiserian Magadi road through Leweisa Academy and ends at Kahara market.

The final stretch starts at the junction of Gataka road and ends along Ongata Rongai — Kiserian road.

According to a contract document signed between KeRRA and the Chinese firm, works on the project will include improvement to bitumen standard of spur road within Ongata Rongai, Kiserian and Ngong towns.

The contractor is also to do site clearance and remove the top soil.