President William Ruto has allocated Ksh7 billion for the upgrade of the notorious Nithi Bridge, which has claimed dozens of lives over the years due to frequent road accidents, Meru Governor Isaac Mutuma has announced.

🇰🇪 Breaking It Down

Mutuma made the revelation on Sunday, June 28, during the 60th anniversary thanksgiving ceremony at Burieruri High School in Meru County, which was attended by President Ruto.

Addressing the gathering, the governor praised Ruto for prioritising the long-awaited project, saying he was the first Head of State to take concrete steps toward addressing the recurring fatalities at the bridge.

"You are the first President to show sympathy to those who use the Nithi Bridge. You came and said the deaths at Nithi Bridge should stop," Mutuma said.

📌 What You Need to Know

According to the governor, the president has already allocated the billions to the project, noting that the project is currently ongoing.

"Your Excellency, you have put Ksh7 billion into the Nithi Bridge project, which is ongoing, and we thank you. This is something that no other president has done," he added.

The revelation comes amid controversy over the actual amount allocated to the project, with the president and other government officials announcing different amounts.

However, Ruto has shown commitment to the construction of the bridge, noting that the required amount was already in place to construct the bridge to modern standards.

"We have allocated Ksh7 billion to construct the Nithi Bridge to prevent accidents. the contractor is already on site and we have done compensation for acquired land," Ruto revealed.

The design of the proposed bridge  by the Kenya National Highway Authority (KeNHA), aimed at reducing accidents along the corridor, has already been released.

📰 Source: Kenyans.co.ke