Tuesday, April 23, 2024 - Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has explained why several underpasses along the Nairobi-Nakuru Highway, including Waiyaki, have not been completed for years.
In a statement, Murkomen revealed that the contractor had abandoned the highway due to budgetary constraints as Treasury had yet to release money to finish the project.
Murkomen noted that the underpasses are affected by floods and suffer from poor drainage due to incomplete projects which include the construction of dams.
"James Gichuru to Rironi underpasses do flood because their respective outfall drains have not been completed," he explained.
"Unfinished work includes service roads, Kangemi overpass, Gitaru interchange, the various other underpasses. Outfall drains also plus street lights and footbridges."
The CS further revealed that a section of the highway, stretching from James Gichuru to Rironi, was under an active development contract and faced mounting pending bills.
He explained that the situation was worsened by the law which stipulated that a road with an active development contract can’t be allocated maintenance funds.
The contractor had also left the site and was awaiting payment before agreeing to resume the site.
To unlock the funding, Murkomen has already met leaders of Kiambu led by the Majority Leader National Assembly and Nairobi leaders including Governor Johnson Sakaja.
Other leaders who attended the meeting included members of Parliament from Westlands, Kabete, Kikuyu, Kiambaa, Limuru, and Lari as well as the Woman Representative and Senator of Kiambu County.
Later, the Cabinet Secretary confirmed that his Ministry would commence work on the critical areas within the next four weeks.
His assurance comes as floods continue to wreak havoc across the country displacing over 300 families and claiming 20 lives.
In Nairobi alone, the floods killed one person and the search for a missing child is still underway with motorists cautioned against the use of several roads such as Raila Odinga.
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