The government will require in excess of Sh700 billion to complete the road infrastructure projects that are still incomplete.
Cabinet Secretary for Roads and Transport, Kipchumba Murkomen, has revealed that a majority of the projects that were launched during former president Uhuru Kenyatta’s term are behind schedule.
This funding is earmarked for the timely completion of road projects, some of which he says should have reached fruition approximately five years ago.
"As a ministry, we are engaged in dialogues with all contractors, both local and international, and we are directing all available resources toward ensuring that they remain actively engaged at their respective work sites," said Murkomen.
This comes at a time that the country’s road agencies, including the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA), are on the spot for supervising cost overruns for at least 26 road projects and overshooting their budgets by more than Sh20 billion.
President William Ruto had initially indicated that no other project would commence before the completion of the unfinished ones.
In a resolute commitment to the cause, Murkomen assured that the administration is fully dedicated to seeing these crucial road projects through to completion.
He added that no contractor shall be allowed to vacate their project sites until the designated work is "satisfactorily finished."
Murkomen made the declaration during an inspection of ongoing road projects in Chepalungu, Bomet County.
The CS further stated that the government, through his ministry and the National Treasury, has set aside money to help contractors continue with their work without disruption, as they try to get more funds to facilitate their completion.
“I want to assure Kenyans that we are going to revive all the road projects that had stalled. We will complete them before we initiate construction of other roads,” said Ruto earlier in the year.
The Cabinet Secretary was accompanied by several leaders including area MP Victor Koech, Bomet Central lawmaker Richard Kilel, Sotik MP Amb. Francis Sigei and Bomet East's Richard Yegon.
Others were Konoin MP Brighton Yegon, Bomet County Woman Rep Linet Chepkorir, and Senator Hillary Sigei.
