Delay in relocation of power posts has hampered smooth construction of the Mau Mau road.
The road links Murang’a, Nyeri, Kiambu and Nyandarua counties.
Kenya Power Company has been accused of taking too long to relocate the posts covering a stretch of more of more than 50km.
The relocation will help the contractor working on Lot 2 of the road to continue tarmacking.
The road is listed as one of President Uhuru Kenyatta's legacy projects.
When the County Development Implementation and Coordination Committee inspected the road at Kiamara area of Kangema subcounty on Friday, KPC had only relocated power posts at a distance of eight kilometres.
The Committee, led by its chairperson and the Murang’a county commissioner Fredrick Ndunga, expressed concern for the delay after it was established that Kenha has already paid for the relocation.
The resident engineer in charge of the road construction Francis Atibu said the posts have disrupted the smooth working of the road, adding that the contractor is under pressure to complete the works in a given timeline.
“We want KPC to move with speed and relocate the power posts so that they can make our work easier,”Atibu said.
The engineer said relocation of the posts is divided in three sections: section one covering 22km, section two (10 km) and section three (24 km).
He said that in section one, Kenha has already paid Sh11 million to KPC to facilitate relocation of the posts from Kiamara to Tuthu.
“Kenha is currently working to pay for remaining sections so as to have all posts relocated and give way for smooth construction of the road,” Atibu added.
The road, which covers a total of about 500km, is earmarked to boost economic activities and shorten distance between east and west of Aberdare ranges.
Harrison Kamau, who is the KPC Murang’a county business operations manager, assured members of CDICC that his office will mobilise manpower and resources to ensure affected power posts, especially in section one, are relocated within two weeks.
Kamau said shortage of requisite materials and unfavourable weather conditions occasioned by the ongoing rains in the county have posed challenges in the relocation exercise.
The CDICC chairperson said the government is committed to ensure projects are completed within the given time.
Ndunga urged government agencies involved in construction of the road to work together and resolve challenges which may hinder smooth upgrading of the link road.
Currently, the contractor has done about 70 per cent of earthworks, with 1okm of the road upgraded to bitumen standards.
(edited by Amol Awuor)
