•KeNHA has at least 40 roads and bridges under construction across the country, which are likely to be affected.
•Night construction at some projects has stopped.
Image: FILE
Work on at several road and related infrastructure projects countrywide have stalled in the wake of the coronavirus and dusk to dawn curfew which has seen workers stay at home.
Measures to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus have also led to a downsizing of casual labourers on active sites, which has slowed down construction.
These, coupled with a cut on development budget is likely to derail completion of key infrastructural projects in the country being undertaken by international and local contractors.
Among projects likely to be affected include the Sh62 billion JKIA-Westlands Expressway commissioned by President Uhuru Kenyatta in October last year.
Though being constructed by the China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC), the 18.586-kilometre project heavily relies on local labour and construction material.
Another project facing a delay in completion is the Sh160 billion 87km Nairobi-Mau Summit road which had earlier been rocked with tender rows.
The Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) commenced land appropriation for the project in March.
The Star further established that the Kisii-Ahero-Isebania road project has also slowed down with night construction stopping along the 84km Isebania–Ahero road.
The Sh9.4 billion project was awarded to the Third Engineering Bureau of China City Construction Group in 2018 and was scheduled to be completed in 48 months.
Last week, Transport Cabinet Secretary James Macharia said ministries will have to bear with budget cuts to avail funds for the fight against coronavirus.
“The numbers are being worked on, not just my ministry but across the entire government,” Macharia said during an interview with Citizen TV, noting that projects under his ministry will also be affected.
The Transport, Infrastructure, Housing, and Urban Development ministry is among the highest funded.
In the current financial year 2019/20 ending June 30, the government had planned to spend about Sh172 billion on infrastructure improvement across the 47 counties.
The National Treasury has however proposed a freeze on all development projects and the cash diverted towards the fight against coronavirus.
“Now is the time of making sure we have enough resources for tackling the pandemic,” CS Macharia said, “What we need to do is make sure we support the National Treasury.”
KeNHA has at least 40 roads and bridges under construction across the country, which are likely to be affected.
They include James Gichuru-Rironi road currently at about 30 per cent, according to Kenha data, Kisii-Ahero-Isebania(28 per cent), Kitale-Endebess–Suam(13.5 per cent), and Garsen-Witu-Lamu which is at 30 per cent complete among others.
Construction of footbridges along the Thika Super Highway, at the Kenya School of Monetary Studies and Garden City, has also slowed down.
With a freeze on new projects, construction of the second Nyali bridge linking Mombasa Island and North Coast is also likely to delay. The World Bank funded project was to commence in June this year.