Road renovation in Taita Taveta halted over Sh800m owed to constructor

By Renson Mnyamwezi

Taita Taveta, Kenya: Rehabilitation of the Voi-Mwatate-Wundanyi road has stalled after the Government reportedly failed to release more than Sh800 million to the construction company.

Taita-Taveta County Governor John Mruttu and the operations manager of the Kundan Singh Construction Company Peter Nderitu said construction work on the Sh2.3 billion road had been suspended indefinitely.

“The Government owes the construction company more than Sh800 million. We will only resume work on the 42-kilometre road once the funds are released,” said Mr Nderitu.

The company was to tarmac the road but work had been dragging due to lack of resources.

“The operations have been grounded and workers temporarily sent home. We have no funds for fuel and machinery has been packed,” said Nderitu.

Briefing The Standard on the progress of the road yesterday, the official said there were yet to construct guard rails, paint the road and carry out a mapping exercise. 

Mruttu noted that the Voi-Mwatate-Taveta and Mwatate-Wundanyi roads, which are of economic importance, had remained in a sorry state due to neglect by successive governments.

“We thought the funds set aside to rehabilitate the road would give it a major facelift but this is not so. The Government needs to improve the road network in the region,” he protested.

He observed that horticultural and dairy farmers had been counting losses as their farm produce went to waste during the rain season when roads were impassable.

Facilitate investment

Motorists using the Voi-Mwatate-Taveta road that links Kenya and Tanzania have decried its poor state.

And this had not only adversely affected tourism activities but also the local economy, said the governor.

He called on the Kenya National Highways Authority to fast track the improvement of the vital road to facilitate investment and development.

“The quick rehabilitation of these key roads could boost tourism given that the region has numerous tourist attractions,” he said.