KeRRA on the Spot Over Ksh 3.7 Billion Road Maintenance Levy

Khadija Aden 4 hours ago

Members of Parliament (MPs) have queried the Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KeRRA) about the alleged failure to implement Ksh 3.7 billion road maintenance for constituencies despite it being released for the purpose.

The question was raised as several MPs lamented the poor state of roads after a bout of heavy rain, with no construction underway.

Kitutu Masaba MP Clive Gisairo has told the National Assembly that nearly Ksh 13 million was released for each constituency by KeRRA for the Road Maintenance Levy Fund and asked where it had gone.

“We have been waiting for a response for almost two months now. Constituencies gave up money for routine maintenance, and yet no one has seen a road being worked on,” Gisairo stated.

He further accused the Roads authority of delaying taking accountability while people in rural areas, despite their problems, remained without any help.

“Every time we ask questions, we are promised statements to be released later on, while people in villages can’t even travel to town,” said Gisairo.

Several members of parliament backed his arguments and added that delayed road maintenance budgets had made transport hard for the villagers, which, in turn, has left rural areas underdeveloped, while traffic has made it difficult to deliver goods and services.

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Majority Leader’s Justification for Prioritizing Tarmacked Roads in his Constituency

Majority Leader in the National Assembly, Kimani Ichung’wah, assured MPs that pending funds meant for constituencies will not roll over to the next year, and the Treasury had promised to release the money before the end of the year.

Ichung’wah also backed his move to tarmac roads in his constituency over the routine gravelling of roads.

“I decided to build roads to last a long time. Murram roads are swept away with rain, and I decided to do more for residents to make sure that public funds don’t go to waste,” said Ichung’wah.

The Roads and Public Works Committee has promised to give its response after a recess.

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