Mutua asks Uhuru to introduce policy regulating cost of roads construction

Machakos Governor Dr. Alfred Mutua has called on President Uhuru Kenyatta to introduce a policy review on cost of construction of national highways in order to curb massive loss of funds through exaggerated quotations.

Mutua pointed out on Monday that the cost of roads construction in Kenya had become way too expensive due to skewed design and engineering by officers seeking to loot public funds.

“In Kenya we have been doing our roads at much higher cost than in developed world due to exaggerated billing and skewed designs,” Mutua said.

He was speaking after inspecting on-going roads construction works in Syokimau, Katani and Githunguri in Mavoko Sub County.

The governor noted that huge amounts of taxpayers’ money was being diverted to pockets of few corrupt individuals through dubious quotations, engineering and design of roads.

“I am asking President Uhuru Kenyatta to consider implementing a review of policy on costing of all categories of roads and have price ceilings set to ensure no funds are lost through corrupt processes,” he said.

“Why should a certain road in Kenya cost for instance Ksh.80 million while the same road in Uganda costs Ksh.20 million under similar conditions? It is because certain people want to siphon public funds.”

Governor Mutua said his administration was committed to undertaking massive infrastructural development across the county in order to enhance faster movement of goods and people thereby promoting trade and investment.

He announced that inter-linking roads will be immediately opened up, even as the county government continues to fix and tarmac other roads in the area.