- Sh4.8 billion had been set aside for compensation for the 2,350 project affected persons.
- Some 1,014 of the beneficiaries are residents of Kirinyaga county while 1,350 are from neighbouring Nyeri county.
Landowners who gave up their parcels for the dualling of the Sagana-Marua road have refused to vacate citing delayed compensation.
The residents mainly from Karatina town and those living near the proposed Marua interchange, fear they may never receive the payout once the contractor completes work.
Sh4.8 billion had been set aside for compensation for the 2,350 project affected persons.
Some 1,014 of the beneficiaries are residents of Kirinyaga county while 1,350 are from neighbouring Nyeri county.
A report by Kenya National Highway Authority shows only 453 (34 per cent) of the landowners from Nyeri have been compensated to date, leaving 897 pending claims.
Kirinyaga is on the lead with at least 92 per cent or 932 families having already received their claims.
“Delayed payment of money for acquisition of affected land and property on some sections of the road has resulted to contractor suspending works on this specific road. The unavailable section in total is 7.598km out of 36km,” reads part of a report.
The report was presented to the Nyeri County Implementation Coordination and Management Committee on Wednesday by Central region KeNHa deputy Eng Javan Wandiema.
“The delay of payment for Marua interchange resulted in delayed start of the construction of the bridge at this specific location,” adds the report.
Wandiema says delays in paying claimants have already been escalated to the National Treasury but they were yet to receive a response as to when money would be available.
Normally, such monies are wired to KeNHa who in turn credits the funds to the National Land Commission which is the paying agent.
The official also said delays in relocating 1,500 traders from a section of land set aside for the construction of a Sh300 million market at Karatina town, has delayed its construction.
The construction of a proposed modern bus park in the town has also stalled. This is because the land where the project was to be undertaken is currently occupied by traders who are yet to be relocated.
The design of the bus park has already been approved by the Nyeri county government.
Also awaiting opening is an autism unit at the Mathaithi Special School, which is part of the contractor's Corporate Social Responsibilities.
“We had planned to undertake construction of two roadside markets in Nyeri and two in Kirinyaga but land acquisition is a challenge. Kirinyaga government requested the construction site of the market be relocated to Kibirigwi trading centre since the site at Kibingoti had been earmarked for construction of a bigger market with funds sourced from Economic Stimulus Programme,” continues the KeNHA report.
As part of its environment conservation strategy, the contractor has mobilised resources in planting 6,083 trees at Hombe forest, Kangaita schools and along road reserves.
Other CSR projects include construction of 23km of access roads, conducting of HIVAids awareness campaigns and road safety awareness campaigns among the communities.
There are also plans to erect 19 boda boda sheds along the 36km stretch to act as picking and dropping points for pillion passengers.
The contractor had been awarded Sh6,115,038,571.29 but this was later revised to Sh9,146,922,301.01 including contingencies.
Since last year, technical delays in settling land compensation claims has slowed down completion of the dual carriageway which forms part of the Great North Road/Trans African Highway.
The multi-billion shilling project is jointly financed by the African Development Bank and the Government of Kenya.
The 84km Kenol-Sagana-Marua road expansion project was earmarked to cost Sh40 billion.
Works on the project commenced on July 30, 2020 and was expected to be completed by October 18, 2023.
This was however rescheduled to December 10 this year after the contractor, China Wu Yi Company, failed to meet another revised deadline of July 10, 2024.
So far, 87 per cent of the project is complete against an earlier projected progress of 99 per cent in terms of the main carriageway works.
Once complete, the Kenol-Sagana-Marua dual carriage way is expected to, among others; reduce travel time, improve road safety and reduce vehicle operating costs.
Others are to boost economic growth and foster regional integration by improving connectivity between Kenya, Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa.
The ambitious road project is part of the Great North Road/Trans Highway from Cape Town in South Africa and starts from Kenol township in Murang’a through Makutano and Sagana in Kirinyaga county before ending at Marua in Nyeri county.
It is set to connect the Northern Corridor from Nairobi to the Lapsset Corridor that is expected to link Kenya to Ethiopia.