•According to officials privy to the road plans, the contractor planned to have done at least 50km by June this year and another 50km by December.
•Njogu said the biggest challenge facing the contractor is shortage of water.
The government has denied allegations that the building of the Lamu-Garsen road could soon stall due to lack of funds.
The tender was awarded back in 2016 but so far, only 30 per cent of the 135km road has been done.
The Sh10.8 billion tender for the road was awarded to the H-Young company.
The contractor has however expressed confidence that the road will be ready by December this year if things go as required.
However, reports from some of those in charge of the project indicate that Treasury has been slow and inconsistent in releasing cash to the contractor.
According to the project officials who spoke on condition of anonymity, Treasury owes the contractor Sh1.2 billion, a situation that has made it hard to keep with the required pace for the project.
The contractor is even said to have threatened to quit and abscond the contract if things don’t change.
“The works have been ongoing but there have been so many challenges especially to do with money. We have literally had to beg him not to quit but if things stay this way, this road will never be done anytime soon leave alone by December as per the plan,” an official not authorised to speak said.
In reaction, however, the Kenya National Highways Authority-KENHA Assistant Corporate Communications Director Charles Njogu rejected the allegations and termed them as untrue.
Njogu said the biggest challenge facing the contractor is shortage of water but added that the matter was seriously being addressed.
“There is a delay in the funds sometimes but we haven’t received a complaint from the contractor because its normal in this kind of work,” Njogu said.
According to officials privy to the road plans, the contractor planned to have done at least 50km by June this year and another 50km by December.
He said the road works were very much on course and expressed confidence that the works will be done on the required time.
Njogu said any other challenge being experienced was normal with that kind of work and was no reason for concern since they were being looked into.
He said there were plans to even allocate more money to the project by April this year so as to ensure the road is completed on time.
The road project was officially commissioned by President Uhuru Kenyatta in March 2017.
The road which is the only connection of Lamu to the rest of the world is expected to improve security for road travelers and also open up Lamu for more trade and business opportunities.