The contractors of the famous Thika Superhighway are yet to be paid Sh428 million, the Auditor General has revealed.
According to the auditor General Nancy Gathungu, Kenyans will face hefty penalties should the government fail to clear the bill.
“The project is at risk of costs and penalties with the continued delay in making payments,” said Gathungu in a report tabled in Parliament.
In October last year, the government borrowed Sh2 billion meant for the dualling of the Eastern Bypass, which connects Thika Road and Mombasa Road through City Cabanas, Pipeline, Njiru.
Read: Gov’t Borrows Ksh2 Billion For Dualling Of Eastern Bypass
The construction of the 32-km bypass started in 2013, by has never been dualled, something Transport Cabinet Secretary James Macharia said should have been done from the beginning.
The bypass was initially designed by the Mwai Kibaki government, aimed at easing congestion in other roads connecting the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and Mombasa-Nairobi highway to Thika Superhighway.
It was part of the Vision 2030 infrastructure projects initiated by the Grand Coalition government.
Raed Also: Section Of Thika Superhighway To Remain Closed Until April 13
The project was also meant to reduce traffic in Nairobi’s central business district for motorists traveling to various destinations along Thika Road and Mombasa Road.
It is also thought that the planned Sh500 billion Northlands City near Ruiru town is among the factors that have pushed the Government to expand the Eastern Bypass
It is expected that the development of the city will substantially increase the number of vehicles flowing into the 32-kilometre road.
Eastern Bypass was initially designed for vehicle traffic with the absence of other amenities for non-motorized traffic, which has been a major cause of accidents along the stretch.
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