The Government has released Ksh 65 billion through the Ministry of Roads to clear pending bills owed to contractors, paving the way for the completion of long-stalled road projects across the country.
Contractors with unfinished works have now been directed to resume operations and complete the projects within their stipulated timelines.
Roads Principal Secretary Eng. Joseph Mbugua made the announcement during an inspection tour of several road projects in Nyandarua County.
The tour came in response to a wave of demonstrations held across the county by residents protesting the poor state of roads, which had become impassable due to prolonged neglect and lack of funding.
Speaking during the tour, Mbugua acknowledged that the construction of roads within Nyandarua had stalled due to challenges linked to pending bills.
However, he noted that the situation had significantly improved after President William Ruto enabled the Ministry of Transport to secure funding through securitization, which qualified the ministry for Ksh 175 billion to settle debts owed to contractors countrywide.
“Last month, we paid 40% of the pending bills, and by the end of this month, we’ll pay another 40%. That means by mid-next month, the ministry will only owe the old debt of about 20%,” he said.
He assured the public that an additional Ksh 65 billion would soon be released to continue supporting infrastructure development.
“We now have good news for both the contractors and residents. The money is available, and you will soon see construction works that had stalled resume. Contractors must now move with speed to complete the roads,” said Mbugua.
He explained that the fuel levy had played a vital role in raising the funds.
“It was not easy to mobilize these funds, but the levy has helped us a lot. We should not politicize everything—the government is now delivering on its promises.”
The Principal Secretary further promised that the Siranga–Boiman, Siranga–Charagita, and Charagita–Tumaini roads would be completed within two weeks.
“We have now engaged the contractor to finish the work quickly, and with the funds in place, there are no more excuses. This will greatly help our farmers move their produce to markets with ease,” he noted.
His visit came just two days after residents across Nyandarua staged protests over the deteriorating condition of roads and the stalling of key projects, which have had a severe impact on transport and economic activities in the agriculturally rich region.
Ol Jororok MP Hon. Michael Muchira and Ol Kalou MP Hon. David Kiaraho, who accompanied the Principal Secretary during the tour, welcomed the government’s renewed commitment. They also addressed misinformation circulating among the public, clarifying that contractors had not abandoned the project sites.
“We want to correct the narrative that contractors left the site. It had been agreed that work would start from both ends—Boiman and Charagita—but only one end commenced initially. The issue is now resolved, there are no hiccups with the exchequer, and the construction will now resume from both ends,” said Muchira.
Kiaraho echoed the sentiments, emphasizing how poor infrastructure had contributed to losses among farmers.
“It’s painful to see produce rotting on farms because farmers can’t access markets. This will now be a thing of the past,” he said.
Nyandarua is one of Kenya’s most agriculturally productive regions, known for its high yields in potatoes, cabbages, carrots, and dairy products.
However, inadequate road infrastructure has long hindered farmers from transporting their goods efficiently, leading to post-harvest losses and reduced incomes.
With this renewed focus on road development, the government hopes to unlock the region’s full agricultural potential and uplift the livelihoods of its residents.
