Keep off construction of roads, Wambora to national gov’t

Governors now want the national government to keep off matters pertaining counties’ leadership and management of resources.

According to Embu Governor Martin Wambora, the national government should stop interfering with county affairs and especially development projects such as roads.

Speaking during the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Probase Contracting Limited Kenya, Wambora said; “The national government should keep off from county roads since we are under the mandate of the county governments as passed by the court last week.”

The Probase Kenya Limited is a Malaysian company which has been contracted to tarmac the 100 km Embu- Kibugu road at a cost of Ksh 3.5 billion.

Wambora noted that the first phase will be a 12.5 kilometer stretch that will be constructed immediately and will link Embu town to Kibugu market at a cost of Ksh 331 million.

Averagely, the roads will cost Ksh 31.7 million per kilometer.

“This deal is the best the county has entered into so far in terms of roads construction since it uses modern technology and is cheap.”

The Governor said roads construction is purely a mandate of the county governments. He cited the recent Supreme Court ruling that said roads constructions is a mandate of the counties.

“The Governors will also move in and start supervising all the roads perceived to be under national government,” said Wambora adding that the Kenya National Highways Authority (KENHA) and the Kenya Rural Road Authority (KERRA) ought to release the funds with immediate effect to the counties to carry out roads constructions which has been the priority of many residents.

However, Manyatta Member of Parliament John Muchiri dismissed Wambora’s move to tarmac the Kibugu road saying the road is under national government and that the county cannot afford to tarmac it due to limited resources.

Nonetheless, Muchiri welcomed the Governor’s move saying it is for the benefit of the people of Embu irrespective of whether the national or the county government tarmacs the road.

By Peter Gachanja / Written by Jemimah Gathoni