Roads CS Kipchumba Murkomen has said the National Government has stopped the construction of new road projects across the country due to the huge pending bill it inherited from the former regime.

The CS told the Senate on Wednesday the government is talking to development partners to shoulder part of the challenge of settling the bills before it thinks of new road projects.

“Part of the problem of pending bills is inhibiting us in creating new road projects,” said CS Murkomen when he appeared in the House to respond to questions raised by senators.

Below is the excerpts of how CS Murkomen responded to questions thrown to him by senators.

Senator Danson Mungatana (Tana River): Could the Cabinet secretary state the distance, in kilometers, of tarmac roads that the national government has constructed in Kenya since independence?

CS Murkomen: The National Government has constructed 21, 556 kilometers of tarmac roads since independence.

Senator Mungatana: Could the Cabinet Secretary provide a list of roads in Tana River County that have been upgraded to bitumen?

CS Murkomen: The following roads totaling to 442 kilometers under Tana/River County have over the years been upgraded to bitumen standards.

a) Garsen – Witu – Lamu (A7)- 30KM in Tana River County.

b) Garsen – Hola (B89) – 95KM

c) Ukasi – Bhangaley (A3) – (Ukasi- Tana River Bridge) – 120 KMS

d) Madogo Junction – Hola (A3) – 120 KM

e) Kangoni – Garsen – 55KM

f) Junction B8 – Bonji (8KM)

g) River Tana Bridge and (Majengo) towards Masalani (4km)

h) Hola Town Roads (10km).

Further, the Ministry under its implementing agencies (KeNHA), KeRRA) and KURA annually maintains paved roads of approximately 442 KM and 727 KM of unpaved roads as indicated above.

Senator Mungatana: Why has Tana River County been marginalized in the National Government’s plans and what steps is the government taking to rectify the situation?

CS Murkomen: According to the categorization of the Commission of Revenue Allocation (CRA), Tana River is a marginalized County in terms of Infrastructure and other developments. The national government has however made efforts in addressing this marginalization by constructing to bitumen standards 442 KM of roads in Tana River County.

Tana River is also a recipient of Equalisation Fund. The Funds whenever was disbursed by the Board was used to maintain roads identified by the stakeholders.

In line with the scarce resources available, the Ministry will continue giving emphasis on improvement of roads works and other infrastructure in Tana River, other marginalized counties and country as a whole in order to bring much needed development for the betterment of the country.

Hon Mungatana: Is the CS aware that as a national government we promised the people of three constituencies in Tana River County during the election campaigns that we shall raise the following three roads to bitumen standards. First, the Malindi- Tarasa – Ngao Road in Garsen Constituency, second, Boji Road in Galole constituency and, thirdly, the Junction to Bura Town in Bura Constituency. I have done my own mathematics on the cost for the construction of these roads and it is less than Sh500 million. Can he ensure that the Ruto administration undertakes to construct these roads as it was promised during the campaigns?

CS Murkomen: As a government we have a challenge of pending Bills amounting to Sh150 billion for work already done and where certificates of completion have already been issued. We have another bill of sh600 billion for roads that we have already committed to construct. The government cannot construct new roads because of this. My ministry is doing everything humanely possible to pay the pending Bills. I have been to China where I engaged the Exim Bank on ways in which they can help us shoulder the challenge of pending bills and the funds we have already committed for the construction of new roads. Most of our contractors are Chinese and have a portfolio of about Sh400 billion.

It is possible that we can construct these roads but this will have to start in the next financial year. We shall have to set aside all the funds we have allocated to the Equalisation Fund, amounting to Sh200 million, and put together with funds allocated to the maintenance of the roads and safeguard it for a period of three years.

I want to invite the elected leaders from the county for a meeting in my office where we can discuss this issue further. Let us agree on the dates and then we can discuss the issue of roads in Tana River holistically. 

Hon Mungatana: Is the CS aware that the contractor hired to do maintenance works on the Garsen – Madoga – Hola Road has failed in his work? Do you know the identity of this contractor and why are they not maintaining the road to required standards. We are told the contractor is well connected. Can the ministry discipline the contractor if he ascertains that his work is sub-standard? 

CS Murkomen: The maintenance of the road is divided into three slots. The contractor was awarded the contract in January for a period of 36 months. If the works are of sub-standard nature, I am willing to visit the site with the aim of ensuring that the contractor is brought to account. We are aware that there are many potholes on the road as a result, and the ministry is working addressing the issue. When I visit I will tell you about the role of the contractor and the quality of his work.

Senator Veronicah Maina: Can the CS tell this House how long it will take to complete the construction works on Mau Mau Road that cuts through Kiambu, Muranga and Nyeri? Can you explain why it has taken this long to complete the work?

Senator Dullo: is the CS aware that Isiolo County has only one tarmac road since independence? The Construction of 71KM Kina-Garba Tulla Road was started in 2015 but has never been completed. The works are sub-standard. What is the government doing to ensure the works on the road are finalized?

CS Murkomen:. The national government also has ambitious projects for Isiolo under the Horn of Africa Project, sponsored by the World Bank and African Development Bank. Apart from Wajir, the project covers Wajir, Isiolo, Marsabit, Garissa and Turkana counties are major beneficiaries. Under the project, Isiolo-Modogashe Road, Garissa-Isiolo Road, through Garba Tulla, will be constructed. Our objective is to have the roads completed. This will be solved through the Horn of Africa projective.

CS Murkomen: the construction of the Mau Mau Road has been pending for the last two years. The construction works started more than three years ago but only 2 per cent of the works has been completed. The project has a historical challenge of neglect. It is not clear whether procurement rules were followed in the initiation of the project because no money was allocated. Perhaps there was an allocation, but this must have been diverted to activities that have nothing to do with the project. The government has assured the people in the region that we have no choice but complete the project. Unregulated borrowing by the former regime left behind a challenge of a huge debt. We made a decision that no new roads will be constructed until the pending ones are complete. We made a decision to pause the construction of new roads and look for ingenious ways of solving this challenge of debt. We are trying to get new concessionary loans so that we can complete the roads in three years.