- Nyeri county commissioner Pius Murugu on Thursday urged the landowners to suspend the demonstrations
- The Sh 6 billion project is financed jointly by the African Development Bank and the national government
Construction works have stalled on the Sh40 billion Kenol-Sagana-Marua road dualling project.
This follows frequent demonstrations by landowners from Kirimukuyu in Mathira West who are demanding compensation.
The landowners had ceded their lands to pave the way for the construction of the of the highway.
The protests have affected works on the 36 km stretch between Sagana and Marua.
Nyeri county commissioner Pius Murugu on Thursday urged the landowners to suspend the demonstrations as they process their compensation.
He said county administration and the National Land Commission, which is the paying agent for the Kenya National Highway Authority are in the process of finding a solution.
"We have been holding consultative meetings with NLC on the issue. We are aware that some residents have been paid and there are a few who are yet to receive any payment. I urge you to remain calm and give dialogue a chance," Murugu said.
Dualling of the 84-km Kenol-Sagana-Marua road started in July 2020 and was expected to end in October 2023.
Contractors have however had to seek an extension due to compensation challenges.
For the Sagana-Matua stretch, the contractor cited challenges in accessing a section of the road in Kangocho, Karatina, and Marua interchanges due to delayed land acquisition.
Engineer Sayed Antiqulla, an official of China Wu Yi, the company working of the project said only 327 out of 1,351 persons had received compensation.
He said this when he appeared before the County Implementation Coordination and Management Committee sitting in Nyeri.
“Claims of delayed compensation have seen the Projected Affected Persons within Kirimukuyu division issue a notice on the planned peaceful procession as well as stoppage of construction works,” the project report said.
The Sh6 billion project is financed jointly by the African Development Bank and the national government.
The project is part of the Great North Road/Trans Highway from Cape Town in South Africa and starts from Kenol Township in Murang’a through Makutano and Sagana in Kirinyaga county before ending in Marua in Nyeri county.
The entire 84-km Kenol-Sagana-Marua Road expansion project was earmarked to cost Sh40 billion.
It is set to connect the Northern Corridor from Nairobi to the Lapsset Corridor that is expected to link Kenya to Ethiopia.