• The Sh1.5 billion Likoni Floating Bridge is being constructed by China Roads and Bridge Corporation.
• Ndeti said she has a right to walk into and inspect any government project.
A Chinese contractor on Wednesday blocked Transport Chief Administrative Secretary Wavinya Ndeti from leaving the Likoni Floating Bridge construction site.
The Chinese contractor, who introduced himself at the chief engineer of the project, demanded to know who Ndeti and her delegation were, prompting a scuffle. He blocked the main entrance, saying that no one would leave the site.
Initially, journalists had also been denied access to the site. Private security guards had been warned against allowing any journalist in. It took the intervention of Mvita deputy county commissioner Charles Monari for the guards to budge up.
In May, the Kenya National Highways Authority and the China Roads and Bridge Corporation signed a deal to construct a 660-metre-long suspension pedestrian bridge across the Likoni crossing channel. The bridge will begin from Liwatoni area on Mombasa Island to Raspovu on the mainland side near the Kenya Ferry Services headquarters.
On Wednesday, after a brief tour of the Sh1.5 billion upcoming project, the Chinese contractor took guard of the main entrance, saying no one would leave.
“I’m the chief engineer of the project. How come I was not informed of this tour? Who are you and where are you from?” he demanded to know at the gate.
Despite explanations by Monari and Ndeti, he refused to open the gate. Monari then shoved him away, making way for the CAS. Ndeti said she had a right as a national government official to tour any project.
“What are they hiding. I’m a Kenyan and a minister in this government. I can walk into any government project to see its progress,” she said.
Meanwhile, some suppliers had camped outside the compound demanding to be paid. Speaking to the press on condition of anonymity, the suppliers said they had not been paid for almost three weeks.
“I was asked to bring in boulders, but to date I have not been paid,” one of them said.
Another supplier said he had brought in a bulldozer but has not been paid for three weeks.
“We had agreed that I would be paid per hour for the bulldozer. It’s been three weeks; nothing is coming my way,” he said.