• Contractor demands full payment, says City Hall has not kept its side of the bargain.
• Back in 2016, the road was allocated Sh180 million by Governor Evans Kidero’s administration.
City Hall and a contractor have traded blame over the stalled rehabilitation of John Osogo Road.
The road has been in the spotlight after MCAs raised concerns that despite millions being allocated to the project, including those by the previous administration, it remains incomplete three years later, with several tenders awarded.
Back in 2016, the project was allocated Sh180 million by Governor Evans Kidero's administration. Mike Sonko's administration has also been pumping money into the project.
Being the main road leading to the city's main dumpsite in Dandora, its poor status has hampered sanitation efforts, with garbage trucks forced to queue for hours to dispose of waste.
John Osogo has had four extensions since the upgrade project was launched in June 2016. The latest extension ended in September 2019. The road is not fully tarmacked, hence making it difficult for trucks to reach the dumpsite, especially during the rainy season. The current contractor has demanded full payment.
On Tuesday, Environment and Water executive Vesca Kangogo said the county has played its role and partly paid the contractor. She appeared before the county assembly Sectoral Committee on Environment.
She said the current contract sum is Sh171 million, with the county having paid Sh70 million for the work completed and certified by county road engineers. Kangogo accused the contractor of constantly delaying the works by demanding interest on payments not made within 28 days.
"This is not feasible because our budgets do not have provisions for interest on delayed payments. All payment certificates have been paid but the contractor has refused to go back to the site," she said.
The county is considering other venues to compel the contractor to complete the work or make a decision on how the road can be completed without further delay and within the budget. But Nyoro Construction Company, which was awarded the tender, rejected Kangogo's claims, saying the county has not made full payment.
The company was given eight months to do the road. Engineer Nyoro accused the county government of having a tendency of "paying friends and leaving out other contractors".
"Our contract was for eight months and although some of the money has been paid, the balance has not been honoured. The county should pay the tender plus one-year interests if they want John Osogo road to be completed," he said.
He accused City Hall of breaching the terms of payment, adding that delays after 28 days upon the day payment attract additional charges.
Dandora 4 MCA Francis Otieno had previously said there was no contractor on site.
"When I came into office, the status of John Osogo Road was substandard and after following up, some few metres was done. As we speak, the road is in a mess," he said.
Admitting that payments had been delayed, Environment director Isaac Muraya said the payment was made in instalments because of the variations the department made to the Finance docket.
However, the Finance department, which was represented by acting executive Pauline Kahiga and acting Chief Officer Johnson Akongo, said no payments will be done until the work is 100 per cent complete.