The Principal Secretary (PS), Roads, Joseph Mbugua, had said priority would be given to completing all ongoing projects since most contracts were awarded before the current regime took over.
Mbugua said, “The primary objective is to ensure those stalled are revived again and completed in a year or two.”
He noted that the government is trying to ensure they get the requisite resources and unlock some of the stalled projects.
“We are aware that we currently have a huge pending bill of about Shs 150 billion which the government is working around the clock to unlock, and once that is unlocked, you will see all contractors on all ongoing projects getting back to the site and completing the projects,” said the PS.
“After a year or two, when we are done with the ongoing projects, we will now look at mapping out other roads within the country which had been left out, especially in constituencies which do not have tarmac roads,” he noted
The PS made the remarks at Eldoret National Polytechnic (TENP) when the institution hosted a capacity Building workshop for Engineers, Technologists, and Technicians in collaboration with the Kenya Engineering Technology Registration Board.
While addressing the media, the Principal Secretary (PS) said the training would allow the engineering standards to be applied and upheld within the industry.
“The participants are going to be taken through some of the aspects of technology to ensure they have been implemented in their various categories in the performance of their duties,” he said.
“President William Ruto launched the Engineers Board of Kenya (EBK) portal, which is aimed at enabling citizens to access information about any projects in this country, consultancy services, and identify registered and non-registered engineers,” he noted.
“Once we work on the regulator, we will be able to ensure that we have the right people for the right projects and bring on board people who will provide correct work, and the issue of shoddy work will be the thing of the past,” explained the PS.
He revealed that the supervisor would be penalized in case of shoddy work. The supervisor should ensure that quality work is done on the ground to ensure the completed projects meet the standards expected in the contract.
Governor Uasin Gishu County Jonathan Bii Chelilim stated that his administration has projects that the former administration started, which need to be completed.
“Therefore, it is my administration now to keep allocating money to those projects until they are completed before we embark on new projects,” said the Governor.
Bii note that even though the Uasin Gishu county assembly is adjourning the reading of the budget estimates for the financial year 2023/2024 until the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) review their salaries, they should find an amicable solution for the budget to be read.
“If the budget cannot be read, it will have a problem with the implementation of projects,” he said.