• The CS said the government has managed to upgrade more roads than all previous governments combined in its efforts to transform the country to develop.
• He said the programme's aim is to transform the economy by easing transport services.
Image: Alice Waithera
The Jubilee government has constructed more than 9,000 kilometres of roads since 2013, Transport CS James Macharia has said.
He said the government aims at surpassing its plans to tarmac 10,000 kilometres of roads by the end of its second term. President Uhuru Kenyatta launched construction of 10,000 kilometres of low-grade roads in 2016.
“By the end of next year, we will have completed over 11,000 kilometres of tarmacked roads, which exceeds all the other regimes. We have done the same amount of kilometres as were done since the onset of the last Century,” he said.
The CS said the government has managed to upgrade more roads than all previous governments combined in its efforts to transform the country to develop.
Macharia, who spoke in Murang’a town while in a meeting with MCAs, said the Chinese contractor working on the Sh14 billion Kenol-Marua dual carriageway has started tarmacking.
He said he has directed the contractor to ensure at least four kilometres are tarmacked every day to fast-track its completion.
In the first phase of the project, a 48-kilometre stretch from Kenol to Sagana town is being constructed at Sh8.5 billion. In the second phase, 38 kilometres will be constructed from Sagana to Marua at Sh6.4 billion.
Macharia said the government has plans to expand Murang’a-Kenol road that experiences heavy traffic snarl-ups, especially during weekends.
“This road will be expanded through the Kenya National Highways Authority (Kenha). We want its design done in a way that will expand it to levels that motorists will be comfortable, especially at Kariguini area near Kenol,” he said.
A few years ago, Murang’a leaders led by Governor Mwangi wa Iria and former senator Kembi Gitura were fighting to have the dual carriageway pass in Murang’a, but the CS said Kenol-Sagana-Marua highway experienced higher traffic.
Macharia said the dual carriageway had been funded by the African Development Bank and could not be diverted to another route.
Wa Iria said as the only CS from the county, Macharia had agreed to help rally other Cabinet secretaries to fast-track pending projects.
“We want to create opportunities for Macharia to come with other ministers and create a timetable to resolve issues on ongoing projects. We hope to be meeting regularly,” he said.
Wa Iria said they decided to sit down with MCAs to give them a chance to prioritise rural infrastructural projects that the ministry should implement.
The county is also working towards ensuring that Murang’a town municipality is expanded to accommodate the increasing population.
“We also want Kenol and Kangari to have their own municipalities, so they can benefit from World Bank-funded programmes. We have done public participation and the county assembly has already approved the two towns,” he said.
Also on their agenda was the Building Bridges Initiative bill, which Wa Iria said will help channel more funds to the counties.