InnovateGuy wrote:- Alfred Mutua commissioned the tarmacking of a 33 Km road earlier today
- 11 contractors will be on the job
- The construction will take 3 months
CONSTRUCTION OF MACHAKOS COUNTY GOVERNMENT’S FIRST TARMAC ROAD SPEECH BY H.E. GOVERNOR ALFRED N. MUTUA, EBS
Today I am pleased to launch the construction of my Government's first Tarmac road of Makutano ma Mwala to Kithimani road. This 33 kilometer road is a very essential linkage and economic road in the county and connects the Eastern part of the county to the Western side, linking Garissa road with Machakos-Kitui road. It eases transportation and opens up Machakos for economic engagement with Kiambu, Murang’a, Embu, Kitui, Garissa and many more counties.
Residents of Machakos County have pleaded for the construction of this road for 50 years and each successive national government has promised the road will be tarmacked, to no avail. Today, we transform promises into reality, using Machakos County government monies and technical expertise.
The Road (C100) is classified as a Kenya National Highways Authority (KENHA) road but my Government is aware that it may take over 10 years before KENHA can Tarmac the road. That is why we have decided to fully fund and ensure the road is constructed now so that our people can enjoy the economic benefits today not later. We have collaborated with KENHA engineers for the design and continuous supervision to ensure the double seal road is built to international standards.
We are also trying out a new formula in the speed of construction. Whereas a 33 kilometer road is given one contractor and can take over three years to construct, we are using 11 contractors and it will take three months to construct, so that we can move on to other development agendas. The irony is that using a single contractor would have cost us double the amount of money we are using with 11 contractors and it would have taken longer. We are using Kshs. 650 million shillings instead of the proposed Kshs 1.3 billion for the same quality of road.
By dividing the road into smaller sections, we are ensuring better supervision, efficiency and curbing of corruption. We expect the contractors to work day and night, as is done in other countries such as the United Arab Emirates, China, Singapore and many European nations.
Kenya is so far behind in development and have such a high rate of poverty that we do not have time to waste by taking forever to complete development programs. Speed, efficiency and high quality standards are what our people want and it is what we will strive to provide.
This is just one of the many roads that my government is constructing. Already, we are opening up and constructing earth roads in every ward. We will this week be awarding tenders for the construction of roads on Athi River cosmopolitan area. Roads in Syokimau area will start being constructed in the next two weeks. We are designing and will be tarmacking Koma to Kennol road, Kivandini to Masinga, Matuu to Ekalakala, Wamunyu to Kibaoni roads and many other linkage roads. The plan is that by 2017, all major linkage roads will be tarmacked and all other roads will be of dust free Murram surfaces.
To ensure proper maintenance of these roads, my Government has put in place road maintenance units so that at no time will there be a pothole in Machakos County. I am working closely with all development supporting Members of Parliament and County Assembly Members in this and other projects in Machakos.
Thank you and God bless you.