URP MPs claim President Uhuru Kenyatta mislead on Mombasa-Malaba railway project

By NIKKO TANUI

KERICHO, KENYA: Concerns have been raised over the high cost of the newly launched standard gauge railway project.

Legislators allied to URP now want the Sh1.2 trillion project to be renegotiated before it kicks off.

Speaking at the weekend, Nandi Hills MP Alfred Keter claimed the country stands to lose over Sh400 billion if the deal is not renegotiated. “The country will lose more than Sh400 billion if the current arrangement is allowed to proceed unchallenged. There are thieves in the Government who are behind the scheme to con Kenyans,” Keter claimed.

He added that the accepted cost of constructing a standard gauge electric rail is $2 million per kilometre and wondered why the country was spending $6 million a kilometre.

IRREGULAR TENDERING

He accused senior State officers, who he declined to name, for arrogating themselves power behind the backs of President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto. “They take advantage of Ruto’s absence when he is attending trial in The Hague or when President Kenyatta is too busy to notice their schemes,” he said.

Bomet East MP Bernard Bett said that there was a group of corrupt officials in the Government who were seeking to enrich themselves through irregular tendering, procurement and contracting processes.