The government has given a road contractor in Nyeri County a two months ultimatum to complete the re-carpeting of a road or face sanctions.
The Maxvictor Enterprises who won and was awarded a Sh. 66 million contract to reseal and recarpet a 7 kilometre section along the Othaya-Kariki-Chinga road in Othaya constituency were given until end of November to complete the works or have the contract cancelled.
The contactor risks being blacklisted and not being allowed to bid for government contracts if he fails to meet the deadline.
The Nyeri County Development Implementation and Coordination Committee (CDICC) regretted that although the rehabilitation of the road that serves the agriculturally rich tea growing zone was projected to have been completed by mid-May this year, the contractor has continued to drag his feet subjecting residents of the area to untold suffering.
The committee chaired by the area County Commissioner (CC), David Kipkemei resolved that the contractor should not be accorded any more extension but should be subjected to sanctions if he fails the meet the November deadline.
It emerged during the committee’s meeting that in spite of several reminders to the contractor to adhere to the contractual timelines, nothing much has been done.
The contractor on his part blames the wet weather conditions associated with the area for the delay in finalizing the rehabilitation works.
But the committee insisted that the contractor either completes the work over the extended period or risk the consequences as this is not the first time for the contractor is facing censure over the same road.
Towards the end of May, area residents protested over the delay in repairing the road forcing the committee to make an impromptu tour to the area to pacify them.
The Kenya Rural Roads Authority KeRRA) then threatened to blacklist and impose punitive penalties to road contractors who flout contractual agreements.
The KeRRA Deputy Director in charge of Nyeri and Murang’a regions, Eng. Joseph Wanjohi who was among the government officials who had visited the area following the public outcry specifically threated to slap the contractor with a Sh. 4 million penalty over the delay.
Eng. Wanjohi indicated that road contractors who delay works would be surcharged from the cost of the contract and be blacklisted in the country.
He underscored the importance of quality works in order to meet the expectations of the local people who have a right to demand value for their taxes.
Area MCA, Kiruga Thuku said the contractor should carry his own cross if he does shoddy work.
A resident, Gachichio Mureithi and the chairman of the local boda boda riders, Godfrey Wachira claimed accidents along the road had caused loss of lives as vehicles and motor bikes evaded the huge potholes that the contractor had failed to seal one year after the contract was awarded.
By Kiamah Wamutitu
