KAKAMEGA, Kenya, Feb 24 – Kakamega County Commissioner John Ondego says the National Government has since 2013 spent 10.2 billion shillings under the Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KeRRA) alone for roads upgrade to bitumen standards in Kakamega county.
Speaking on Wednesday after leading members of County Development Implementation and Coordination Committee (CDICC) for a two-day visit to assess the progress of the ongoing projects, the County Commissioner said the this has seen 240 kms of county’s rural roads awarded to various contractors, with a total of 135 km fully completed.
Going forward, he said contractors who win government contracts but fail to deliver will be blacklisted.
“Governments awards contracts on the basis of proof of capabilities including financial capabilities and as such we will not entertain excuses of lack of finance,” he warned.
The CC warning comes after one of the contractors on the 26 Km stretch of Ibokolo-Sianda- Namabacha road deserted work halfway.
The County Commissioner said the government was addressing some of the challenges affecting some sections of the road including relocating vital utilities like water pipes, electric poles and land encroachment.
He said landowners who have encroached on road reserves must vacate since the government issued notices before the commencement of road construction, adding that in the event they fail, then the government will enforce the law.
He said a court case that has stalled a section of one of the roads was also being addressed.
“Government is constructing roads for the benefit of the people and this has opened up the rural areas and helped enhance movement of goods and services,” he added.
He said youths have also been able to get an income, particularly following the directive by the government that unskilled labor must be sourced from the respective localities where works were being done.
The Manager, KeRRA Western region Edwin Cheserek said his department was following up with the contractors to ensure they complete all the roads projects within the budgetary limit.
The Director of the Presidential Delivery Unit (PDU) Ochengo Onguso said so far the government has completed the tarmacking of the 34 kms Sigalagala- Butere road and the 57 kms Butere-Sidindi- Sigomere –Uguja road at a total cost of 4 billion shillings.
He said the CDICC has also recommended that the government reconstruct the Lusumu and Nzoia rivers bridges that connect Kakamega and Bungoma counties.
