all the projects are funded by EXIIM bank, after the GOK signs a MOU with the PRC govt.

Am yet to read the whole article, but as a local engineer working in South Sudan, am obliged to reply.

First, the system is a mess. Thats is the engineering system in Kenya. If you have to do the Thika Road, you will be required to;

i. Study at University of Nairobi for your BSc. (this is so for you to be registered as an Engineer),

ii. practice under a very, very, very old engineer for at least 5 years ( the engineers act require only 3 years, but you wont't manage the professional interview with them)

iii. buy, copy and adjust project design reports, drawings and calculations from other 'non-registerable' well educated kenyans

iv. know someone in the interviewing panel,

v. Head to registrar of companies and register one,

vi. Head to Ministry of Roads and/or Public Works and register with them by forging work experience, machineries and staff members,

vii. Register with Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) and be classed in A-F Contractors (you can get any class depending with cash on hand)

viii. Tender and camp at the KeNHA and MoR offices for weeks to ensure you 'oil' the right people,

ix. hire, old, lazy, retired 'registered' engineers and young, fresh, confused, weakly trained engineering graduates,

x. Finally, add the project supervision team (engineers, technicians, accountants, surveyors etc) in to your pay roll, in different names and titles.

Then Thika Road will be 'COMPLETED' atleast 2 years after project completion date, 'everyone' will be happy and we just wait for POTHOLES in the onset of the first rains.

THIS SYSTEM SUCKS!

Very true, I agree 100%. It is for the same reason we may not achieve vision 2030. Take the southern bypass for example. This will cost 17b and it will be very hard for any notable part of the money to find its way in the Kenyan economy. The Chinese, once they win a contract, do not rent anyone’s house. They build camps with site offices and accommodation so they never leave this facility even on weekends – no spending on entertainment. All the cement will come from China. Most of the workers save for drivers and masons will come from China. In the final analysis, a huge portion of the 17b will find its way back to china and then you and I are left servicing the loan to the last cent. I have a feeling the large presence of Chinese contractors has led to depreciation of the shilling – every end month, these Chinese have to be paid in dollars. Not that I have a soft heart for Kenyan contractors , KURA and KENHA. They are responsible for this mess in the first place!

Truly, their are many issues that would need to be addressed in order to provide the necessary environment.

That is why it is after some analysis that we see those are the real problems that need to be addressed and the solution to those problems is not to bring in a foreign work force, it solves nothing, really.

In relation to you comment on Naikuni, I still believe we are capable of identifying a good CEO whether local or foreigner, they are there.

Excellent!!! that is what we are trying to say.

The best we can do for our youth is to create a "kazi kwa vijana" program and offer them slashers and rakes to cut grass a long the roads.

Remember that this is an entire government's initiative to combat youth unemployment. If that is not upumbavu, I don't know what is.