Infrastructure Cabinet Secretary James Macharia said his Ministry has completed the procurement process for the dualling of the Machakos-Athi River Turn off road in Machakos County that will cost of Sh8 billion/PSCU
NAIROBI, Kenya, Apr 27 – The Jubilee Government has invested over Sh144 billion in water, health and road projects in Lower Eastern region.
Speaking Tuesday at State House, Nairobi, during President Uhuru Kenyatta’s meeting with leaders and professionals from the Ukambani counties of Kitui, Machakos and Makueni, Cabinet Secretaries outlined the projects being implemented in the region.
On roads, Infrastructure Cabinet Secretary James Macharia said his Ministry has completed the procurement process for the dualling of the Machakos-Athi River Turn off road in Machakos County that will cost of Sh8 billion.
“We are just waiting for letter of no objection from the World Bank to make sure the actual construction of the project begins,” Macharia said.
The Cabinet Secretary said construction of the road will ease the vexing traffic jams experienced on that section of the Mombasa-Nairobi highway.
Other road projects in Machakos county include Machakos-Kenol-Ngoleni-Kaani-Mutituni-Kaseve Road that will cost Sh1.2 billion, Mombasa Road – Daystar/Lukenya at a cost of Sh600 million and Machakos-Lukenya-Kenani-Athi River Road costing Sh600 million.
Macharia disclosed that other ongoing road projects in Machakos include the Mathathani-Kathiani-Kavoleni Road that will cost Sh1.3 billion, the Sh732 million Mumbuni-Kathiani-Thwake River Road as well as the Mathathani-Kaseve and Kiangala-Riuni roads each costing Sh800 million.
In Makueni County, the CS said his Ministry has completed the procurement process for the Sh1.2 billion Sultan Hamud-Kasikeu-Wautu-Kiambeke-Kikoko Road which is ready for launching in the first week of June.
He said the Ministry has also allocated Sh500 million for the construction of Makueni town roads, adding that the tendering for the Sh1 billion Kasikeu-Upete Road, the Sh800 million Kautadini-Mavia-Kimakiu-Salama Bridge, the Sh800 million Tawa-Nguluni-Itangini and the Sh800 million Thwake Bridge will be advertised in the next one week.
In Kitui County, Macharia said construction of the Kamuhogo Bridge at a cost of Sh500 million is being fast-tracked, warning that shoddy contractors will not be tolerated.
On his part, Water and Irrigation Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa disclosed that the Jubilee Government has invested Sh122 billion in water and dam projects in the Lower Eastern region.
Wamalwa enumerated the various water projects undertaken in Ukambani to ease water shortage. Among the projects is Thwake Dam project – one of the Vision 2030 flagship projects – estimated to cost Sh60 billion. The dam will serve Makueni, Kitui and parts of Machakos counties including the Konza techno city.
The Cabinet Secretary said already the Government has set aside Sh600 million to kick off resettlement of the families affected by construction of Thwake Dam. When complete, the project – which has a component for irrigation – will provide water to 1.3 million Kenyans and generate electricity.
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