Machakos governor Alfred Mutua wants the President to set up a commission to probe the cost of public projects.
He spoke on Monday while addressing a press conference outside his office.
Economic experts are questioning the Sh380 billion expressway between Nairobi and Mombasa - meaning 1km will be approximately Sh1 billion.
The government planned to start construction of the
six-lane road in July but postponed the plan.
Mutua said this is
outright theft because conservative
estimates put the road cost at between Sh50-Sh100 million.
Another project he pointed out is
Nairobi’s Ngong Road dual carriageway being constructed by a Japanese company.
Mutua said government
projects are being tripled more than the market price.
"The President needs to order an audit and ensure we live within our means instead of undertaking mega projects we cannot afford," he said.
"Why buy a Mercedes
Benz
and yet you can afford a Toyota that serves the same purpose?" the governor asked.
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Mutua said Kenyans are being overburdened with a huge public debt because of the exaggerated cost of projects.
The governor wants the commission to include international experts and those from neighbouring countries. The costs for
projects is "obscenely high", he said.
Mutua said if the syphoning of public resources is checked now, the country will continue sinking deeper into debt.
“Taxes will always be increased. However, if there is prudent management of resources we would not even require to borrow externally to finance capital projects,” he said.
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Mutua said graft had torn apart the moral fibre of society.
He alleged public funds are being looted by leaders to build a war chest ahead of the 2022 General Election.