A heated debate has erupted in the Senate over the proposed construction cost of the Rironi–Mau Summit Road, projected at Ksh 200 billion.
During the session, Senator for Marsabit Mohammed Chute questioned the Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of Roads and Transport about the high cost of the 175-kilometre road, comparing it to a similar road project in Burkina Faso.
He argued that the 332-kilometre Ouagadougou–Bobo-Dioulasso Road costs less, raising concerns about the KSh 1.14 billion per-kilometre estimate under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement.
“By comparison, the Ouagadougou–Bobo-Dioulasso Road in Burkina Faso is 332 km and costs Sh46 billion. I want the CS to explain to this House why the Rironi–Mau Summit Road will cost Sh1.14 billion per km under a PPP arrangement, while the road in Burkina Faso, financed by the government, costs only Sh139 million per km. If this is a PPP, why is the cost so high? , said Senator Mohammed Chute.
However, Senator for Uasin Gishu County, Jackson Mandago, challenged the claims, accusing the Chute of potentially misleading the public while demanding evidence to support the Burkina Faso comparison.
Jackson warned against spreading unverified information that could undermine public trust in government spending.
Weighing in on the matter, Senate Speaker Amason Kingi directed Senator Chute to substantiate his claims with evidence or withdraw his statements.
Govt to Construct Ksh200 Rironi–Mau Summit Road
The National Treasury previously gave the green light for the construction of the Rironi-Mau Summit highway, following the approval of the project proposal by the National Treasury’s Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Committee.
This follows the PPP Committee’s determination that the feasibility report submitted by China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) and the National Social Security Fund Trustees (NSSF) met all requisite conditions.
Also Read: CS Chirchir Explains Toll Rate for Rironi–Mau Summit Road As Kenyans Gear Up for New Highway
Following the approval, CRBC, NSSF, and Shandong Hi-Speed Road and Bridge International companies are expected to soon commence the construction of the Rironi–Mau Summit Road 175-kilometre highway, which connects Nairobi and Nakuru cities.
The Rironi-Mau Summit highway project is expected to commence at Rironi in Kiambu, traverse Nyandarua, and terminate at Mau Summit in Nakuru County.
The road is part of the larger A8 corridor connecting Nairobi to Western Kenya and forms a critical section of the Northern Corridor, which serves landlocked countries including Uganda, South Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Its construction is expected to take place within 2 years to ease the persistent traffic congestion and shorten travel time to just one and a half hours.
CS Davis Chirchir Explains Measures to Curb Road Accidents
Elsewhere, the Senate sought to know whether the Ministry has implemented strategies to curb road accidents, especially those involving long-distance travel.
In response, CS Davis Chirchir said the government has deployed a multi-agency team to address the rising number of fatal accidents involving long-distance passenger buses.
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The multi-agency will conduct urgent audits and enforce stricter measures.
He said the measures include enhanced enforcement along high-risk routes, mandatory vehicle inspections, driver sensitization programmes, and tighter regulations on driving hours for public service vehicle operators.
The CS added that enforcement will ensure long-distance PSV drivers adhere to limits on continuous driving, observe mandatory rest periods, and comply with the requirement for two drivers on long-haul journeys.
