Doomsayers should stop misleading Kenyans about Thika superhighway

By By Mwangi Geita

A section of the media recently insinuated that like ‘most of the projects in Kenya, it’s only a matter of time that corruption will be unearthed’ on the Thika superhighway. Such retrogressive assertions cannot go unchallenged because they seek to draw the country back to the time every major project was seen as a fundraising opportunity for corrupt leadership.

To put the record straight, those waiting for Thika superhighway project to be another white elephant will be disappointed to know that 97 per cent of the work is complete. The full opening of the road will be done in just a matter of weeks. The project completion is on schedule despite the many challenges that the three contractors have gone through, including working as the traffic flows and delayed relocation of services like power lines and water pipes.

The fact is that the bulk of the financing was done by Africa Development Bank (ADB), China Exim Bank, and the Kenya Government. The latter two are very clear on their lending criteria and follow-up. For instance, ADB applies the lending and procurement standards of the World Bank that include follow-up on how money is being spent.

The Thika superhighway project is being handled by three Chinese companies who won their tenders competitively. Contrary to what some commentators who have been writing in newspapers, the project at any one time employs 3,500 Kenyans from unskilled labour to skilled labour.

Several local engineers are involved in the design and planning of the road without shouting from the roof tops that they are doing so. The Government has seconded more than 100 local engineers to the project on various periods to work with others from China and India to facilitate skills transfer.

The Thika superhighway project is the clearest indication that Kenya’s Vision 2030 can and will work. The road has eased travel time between Thika and Nairobi from three hours to 35 minutes in addition to the positive ripple effects it will continue to have in all sectors of the economy.

The road is a small but important step in creating an efficient economy that is required for the country to achieve middle income status by 2025 as projected by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa.

The Thika Superhighway has faced a lot of opposition from sections of the public  who do not believe in this country’s leadership; past, present and future. From being referred to as the superhighway of death to claims that it was planned to serve ‘selfish’ economic interests of the Central Kenya region, the doomsayers are now waiting on the ropes to get a financial scandal out of the project. But disappointment awaits them because the project has been handled under the international best practices from design and construction. It will be important to note that the construction of the highway is now a case study of how to do roads in Africa as evidenced by tens of delegations from various African countries that have visited to learn about the project.

While we cannot condone corruption – as every Kenyan knows how the vice almost made this country become a banana republic– it does not help for media commentators to waste precious newspaper space to tell lies and fight a project that will impact the growth of this economy and ensure their children live a better life.

Where there is evidence of corruption, let it be exposed. Otherwise let’s use such newspaper space to educate and entertain Kenyans and suggest solutions to the many challenges our country is facing.

The fact that the construction of Thika superhighway is being undertaken by the Chinese has been a problem to people who are worried about the country’s influence in Kenya and Africa at large. Bilateral relations are about interests and the administration of President Kibaki has demonstrated where Kenyans interests are; cordial development cooperation. Kenyans want development, and want it fast. Our more than 40-year dalliance with Western powers helped us but not fast enough. China presents some of the best interests for Kenya and the Government does not have apologies working with that country.

Politically, there are those Kenyans worried that President Kibaki will leave an infrastructure legacy that is too good. They would have wished to write him off when he retires on the performance of his administration on economy. That is why they influence public opinion negatively on projects that are taking this country forward. Kenya is on the move and we can only do good to ourselves if we support and do what is good for the country and objectively point out what is bad, not through rumours but with facts.

The writer is a communications consultant on infrastructure in Africa