A contractor working on a solid waste management facility in Murang’a is under pressure to complete construction works by end of March this year.
The Nairobi Metropolitan Services Improvement Project (NaMSIP) which is custodian of the project wants the contractor to complete the facility known as sanitary landfill by March 31 or risk being not paid the remaining amount.
The sanitary landfill being constructed at Mitumbiri area in Maragua constituency is being funded by World Bank at a tune of Sh. 1 billion.
The NaMSIP Project Coordinator, Eng.Benjamin Njenga on Wednesday noted that if the contractor fails to complete his work on the given time, World Bank will not pay the remaining payment.
So far, the contractor has been paid Sh. 600 million with only sh. 400 million remaining to be paid.
The landfill being constructed in a 50-acre land is earmarked to manage waste from Murang’a County for a period of 10 years.
The new method which is being implemented in the country for the first time is termed as a best way of handling waste as compared to common dumpsite.
Speaking to Members of the County Development Implementation and Coordination Committee (CDICC), Njenga noted that once the landfill is completed, other attached structures will be developed to facilitate transportation of waste from different parts of the county to the facility.
Construction works of the sanitary landfill is currently at about 60 percent complete as the contractor decried high rainfall in months of December and January which hindered construction works.
The contractor said shipment of lining materials from abroad are supposed to be done in two weeks’ time saying once the materials arrive on the ground it will take few days to fix them.
The Chairperson of CDICC, Mohammed Barre requested the contractor to increase working hours so as to beat the deadline.
Barre noted that security will be provided to ensure workers can extend their time at night to ensure the project is completed at the given time.
“Police officers will be deployed especially at night to ensure workers can continue even at night so as to ensure the project is completed on time and to secure the funds given by World Bank from being withdrawn,” added the County Commissioner.
Once completed, NaMSIP will see operations of the landfill for a period of one year before handing it over to the county government.
Before construction of the facility, locals were against the project citing health hazards that may be occasioned by the landfill.
The NaMSIP facilitated tour of some local residents and leaders to countries where sanitary landfill have operated successfully before the project was accepted locally.
By Bernard Munyao
