Nairobi: The Government has mobilized Sh139 billion to clear certified outstanding bills owed to road contractors and accelerate the implementation of ongoing road projects across the country. Payments for eligible works completed in the last quarter are expected to begin on August 21 and be completed by August 28, according to Roads and Transport Cabinet Secretary (CS), Davis Chirchir.
According to Kenya News Agency, Chirchir stated that the financing program was necessary as conventional Exchequer allocations remain insufficient to meet the cost of ongoing road works and accumulated obligations. The CS spoke during a meeting with road contractors, engineers, and technical officers from the State Department for Roads and its implementing agencies.
Under the first phase of the financing program, the government leveraged Sh7 per litre of the Road Maintenance Levy Fund to mobilize Sh175 billion. This enabled the settlement of pending bills for certified works and eligible interest obligations up to March 2026, allowing contractors whose projects had slowed due to delayed payments to resume work.
Chirchir mentioned that the government had received the first tranche of the current program and was expecting the next tranche shortly, paving the way for payments to contractors. He emphasized that the objective is not only to clear past pending bills but to prevent the creation of future ones.
Contractors were assured that payments would be processed through an established framework based on properly measured, verified, and certified claims. The CS urged contractors to remain on site and accelerate project implementation while adhering to contractual requirements related to time, cost, and quality.
Chirchir clarified that there would be no preferential treatment in processing payments, stressing that only properly certified and eligible claims would be settled under the approved framework. He insisted on the exclusion of middlemen in the process.
Additionally, the CS directed engineers and technical officers to take full responsibility for the quality, cost, and scope of road projects. He cautioned against certifying work that could not be professionally defended and emphasized the need for proper measurement, inspection, and certification of works.
He also instructed road agencies to strengthen project preparation before procurement, focusing on design development, site investigations, and verification of quantities. He warned that issues such as exhausted contract quantities, premature road failure, and unjustified certification must be addressed before construction and would attract professional accountability.
The CS underlined that the government’s role is to mobilize resources and provide a predictable financing framework, while contractors must execute and deliver projects, and engineers ensure quality and value for money. Present at the meeting were Principal Secretary for Roads, Eng. Joseph Mbugua, Kenya National Highways Authority Director General, Eng. Luka Kimeli, Kenya Rural Roads Authority Director General, Eng. Jackson Magondu, and Kenya Roads Board Director General, Judith Otsula.
