Government is concerned
with the time lost due to harsh weather conditions, says Wangai
The Mountain Journal
Kenya National Highways
Authority (KeNHA) is working towards completion of the road projects by
December.
In the past three
days, the authority teams have been crisscrossing the country inspecting
the status of the road projects to ensure quality works and timely
completion.
In Murang’a and
Nyeri counties, the team led by new Director General Kung’u Ndung’u and
Chairman Ndirangu Wangai inspected the 540 kilometres Mau Mau road giving
assurance that by December the Sh27 billion project will be motorable from
Gataka ini to Njeng’u in Nyeri county.
According to the
projection, the route by March will be tarmacked with contractors working
on the tributaries joining the spine in counties of Murang’a, Kiambu
and Nyeri.
Eng Wangai said earth
works have been done and 10 kilometres of the road tarmacked in Murang’a county, and another 20 kilometres in Kiambu blaming heavy
rains along the slopes of the Aberdare to have interrupted the works.
According to details in Nyeri county, the contractor has done 10 kilometers.
“By June next year the
progress is expected to be 70 percent up from the present 13 percent, with the
board focusing on quality works and timely delivery of the much-awaited
project,” said Wangai.
He added that they
have been working during the dry season to cover the duration caused by the
heavy rains.
Kung’u said Mau Mau road
has engaged more than 300 people from the localities, with only 23
expatriates.
“ In 45 days before
December we expect a lot of work along the route, hoping the
holiday makers will use it to their destinations during the festive season,”
said the DG.
In Kiambu, another major
road being worked on is the Uplands- Githunguri designed to line the Central
region with Mai Mahiu road.
On Kenol- Sagana- Marwa,
they said, by December one lane will be completed to allow flow of the
vehicles without much interruption.
The Kenol-Marwa
and Mau Road are regularly inspected by Transport and Infrastructure
Cabinet Secretary James Macharia to ensure timely completion in accordance
with government projections.
“ The contractors are
working round the clock to have the Sh15 billion project completed in
June next year to join the Northern Corridor from Cape Town to Egypt,”
said the DG as he adds that the team at KeHNA was dedicated to give
Kenyans value for money.
A section of the
residents along Sagana- Karatina Marwa are to to be compensated after they
allowed use of their farms to extend the highway from 30 metres to 60 metres.
Construction
interruption forced vehicles to use the diversions along Karatina, Ndima,
Kiawanjege, and Murang’a- Saba Saba-Kenol routes.
The project
will ease transportation of goods and people designed to reduce cost with Mau
Mau route connecting counties of Kiambu, Murang’a, Nyeri and Nyandarua will be
joined by 13 tributaries from the villages across the region.
