Nyanza key road projects stall over lack of funds

These roads are important in opening up the region for economic development by attracting various  investments.   

Amongst the notable road projects include Mbita-Sindo ring road, Ahero interchange and the Kisumu Boys- Mamboleo road project. 

According to the Kenya National Highways Authority regional director engineer Julius Mak'Oderoh, Mbita-Sindo ring road project, mooted in 2016, would require Sh50 billion to build. 

 The  director told journalists on Wednesday that the project requires a donor that has the capacity to finance the project under the private public-partnership model.

"The government, through the Ministry of Roads, is working to identify a donor that can finance the project," he said, adding that the design work was finalised in 2016.

"The design is there. The draft contracts are also available. What is lacking is the funding." 

At the moment, the KeNHA is carrying out routine maintenance on the Mbita-Sindo road to make it motorable. Tenders for the maintenance of the section was awarded December last year. 

During his tour of Luo Nyanza last week, President William Ruto said that his administration was committed to ensuring all the stalled projects are completed. 

The Kisumu Boys-Mamboleo road project which started in 2017 is amongst such projects that the residents wish to see completed. The first contract for this project, launched by the then President Mwai Kibaki's administration was terminated. 

A legal battle followed the termination, which the government eventually lost. A new contractor was later picked by KeNHA. However, a poorly resourced exchequer has been unable to complete the road. 

"We are trying to look for money to finish the road. The contractor had to suspend work owing to non-payment for work done," Mak'Oderoh said.

Seventy percent of the road is complete, and the contractor is owed Sh300 million.

"In the course of the year we hope to complete the sections that stalled. We expect funding in the first quarter of the year," he said. One layer (two inches) and one chipping is what's remaining to finish the Mamboleo overpass.

"The design is not complete. We know it is an eyesore but we are doing something about it. Same to the Ahero interchange," the director said. 

Mak'Oderoh further said the Airport link road which was hurriedly done ahead of Africities conference in May last year was fully funded by the exchequer.

"These projects rely on exchequer funds. The link road is not done. We just did a formation. Just getting the ground right. It was for fixing the snarl up during Africities. We will rip it off. It will be done after the Miwani-Muhoroni road. It is part of the sugar belt roads improvement projects," he said. 

The KeNHA engineer said the long-term plan is to have the Airport by-pass link Mamboleo to Chemelil as part of the sugar belt corridor. On the stalled Nzoia bridge, he said a review that was done by the contractor was beyond the allowed limits.

"A new project had to be packaged for the bridge," he said. Mak' Oderoh at the same time decried increased cases of vandalism reported on Nyanza roads.

"We have also noticed a menace in various parts of our networks in Western region, in regards to the sugarcane haulers," he said, adding that his office convened a meeting with the millers to discuss the issue.  

"We have enforcement team that check on littering of the roads and clearance of blockades."

There's also a requirement that the trucks move only between 6am and 6 pm. National Transport and Safety Authority has a regulation that controls the movement, which is being breached, Mak'Oderoh said. 

The director said that some of the truck drivers siphon fuel on the way and fail to engage the right gear when using the over-pass.

This has led to accidents in the past, especially on the Nyamasaria over-pass where trucks veer off and plunge into traffic below along the Kisumu-Nairobi highway.

The speed limit for the over-pass is 40km per hour.  

"A speed calming measure can't be introduced by installing a bump on a climb. We will continue to engage the millers and prosecute offenders," the director said, adding that there's need to sensitise the public to take care of the roads.

"Infrastructure directs development and investments in any given area and roads are expensive to build. We should not vandalise them. Make use of foot bridges on our roads as well." 

 

(edited by Amol Awuor)