Kibwezi East MP Mwengi Mutuse wants Lands Cabinet Secretary Zachary Njeru to explain why the government is yet to compensate families affected by the Kitui-Kibwezi road project.
In a question on the floor of the National Assembly, the MP regretted that since 2017 when the Sh21 billion project was initiated, households are yet to be compensated.
The National Land Commission which falls under the ministry of Lands was to compensate about 5,000 title owners who were relocated to pave the way for the multi-billion project.
“Could the cabinet secretary state whether the government has plans to review the compensation upwards given that payment of awarded value has been delayed since 2017?” the MP posed a question to Njeru.
The MP also wants the ministry to provide reasons for delayed compensation for the families, which he said are wallowing in poverty despite having been pushed out for the project.
“Could the Cabinet Secretary explain why the ministry and the Lands Commission have delayed payment to affected land owners since 2017?” the MP asked.
He also wanted the ministry of Land to commit that the affected families will be compensated by the government.
The Kibwezi-Mutomo-Kitui-Kabati-Migwani road project was launched by President Uhuru Kenyatta in 2017.
The project was undertaken by the Chinese firm, Sinohydro Corporation and was completed in May 2022.
The class B road, which is part of the Mombasa-Isiolo-Addis Ababa Transport Corridor, provides a direct link between Mombasa and Ethiopia through Isiolo and Moyale.
The Kibwezi-Kitui road bypass has become popular with matatus, buses and trucks heading to and from destinations in Embu, Kiambu, Kitui, Machakos, Makueni, Meru and Mombasa counties.
Motorists on long-distance trips cut at least 100km by using the Kibwezi-Kitui road.
