NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 4 – The Ministry of Roads wants to acquire land to construct lorry parks along the major highways to enhance safety on the roads, according to officials.
Roads Permanent Secretary Engineer Michael Kamau said that the initiative would not only earn revenue for the ministry in terms of parking fees and stall rentals, but minimise the dangers posed by the haphazard parking of heavy trucks on roadsides and market centres.
This will also check against businesses encroaching on reserves, he added.
He made the remarks while addressing a meeting of senior staff members who had convened at the Kenya Institute of Highway Technology in Nairobi, to acquaint the new Minister for Roads Franklin Bett with the ministry’s programmes and activities.
Engineer Kamau said other major reforms being undertaken by the Ministry included drafting a legal notice to grant autonomy to the Mechanical and Transport Department.
“This will greatly enhance the department’s revenue collection through diversification of services to add on the setting and monitoring motor vehicle mechanical standards,” he said.
Minister Bett called for teamwork, commitment and quality output among staff in all levels of the Ministry, to ensure timely completion of roads projects in order to maintain public confidence.
The meeting was also attended by the newly appointed Roads Secretary Engineer Philemon Kilimo, Chief Engineer Roads Engineer Mwangi Maingi, and all the eight provincial roads engineers.
Mr Bett officially took over the Ministry on January 27 from Chris Obure, the Public Works Minister, who has been holding the Roads portfolio in an acting capacity since the death of former Minister Kipkalya Kones in a plane crash in May 2008.
