Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has admitted construction hitch has made a major highway linking Nairobi to Road prone to flooding.
In a lengthy statement, CS Murkomen indicated that James Gichuru to Rironi underpasses are prone to flooding because their respective outfall drains have not been completed.
The Transport Secretary noted that a pond is supposed to be constructed around the area to help collect the rainwater and failure to do that has exposed the road to flooding.
Moreover, Murkomen pointed out that there are unfinished works on that section of the highway which have interfered with the water flow resulting in flooding.
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He admitted that the contractor left the site due to a huge pending bill but the government is working towards sorting the issue to resume construction works.
"Unfinished work includes service roads, the Kangemi overpass, the Gitaru interchange, the various other underpasses. Outfall drains also plus street lights and footbridges," Murkomen remarked.
"The James Guchuri -Rironi road has an active development contract with a huge pending bill. As you may be aware we have unfinished roads all over the country with a cumulative pending bill of Ksh165 billion. Under the law, a road with an active development contract can’t be allocated maintenance funds. At the same time the contractor is waiting for some payment to resume the site," he added.
"Because of the accidents and incidences on that road, we have requested partial budgetary support from the treasury and have negotiated with the contractor to, upon receiving the partial payment, resume site and complete the most critical sections for the sake of safety."
