The Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) is under scrutiny after pushing the completion of the Mombasa-Mtwapa Highway by two years, raising concerns over the project’s slow progress.

🇰🇪 Breaking It Down

The Ksh8.4 billion four-lane highway, which started in November 2022 and was initially scheduled for completion in November 2025, is now expected to be completed by December 16, 2027.

The new timeline was announced on Tuesday, September 22, when the National Assembly Transport Committee inspected the project, which is currently 55.96 per cent complete.

During the inspection, the committee members expressed disappointment with the pace of construction and demanded KeNHA's explanation for the delays.

📌 What You Need to Know

In response, KeNHA Director of Development Henry Gakuru attributed the delays to several challenges, including land acquisition and compensation of Project Affected Persons (PAPs).

“We have had problems with land and Project Affected Persons (PAPs) compensation due to inadequate budgetary allocation and delays from responsible public agencies like the National Land Commission,” Gakuru said.

He added that the ongoing conflict in the Middle East had affected the supply of construction materials, while the high population concentration along the road required section-by-section clearance.

However, the explanations did not satisfy the Committee members, with the lawmakers arguing that the challenges should have been identified when the project was being planned and appraised.

Kimilili MP and Committee Vice Chairperson Didmus Barasa questioned how KeNHA could guarantee completion by December 2027 after the project had taken three years to reach only 55.96 per cent.

“You were aware that the road was cutting through a highly populated urban area at the time of planning. You must have been aware of all these when the timelines were given,” Barasa said.

📰 Source: Kenyans.co.ke