Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has warned contractors hired to build roads and deliver other key government projects that they risk being arrested if they do not take their work seriously.
Speaking at Marimanti in Tharaka-Nithi County where he launched the upgrading to bitumen standards of Marimanti-Kibung’a – Mukuyuni Road, DP Kindiki cautioned the contractors, saying he will not allow them to derail government projects.
He said that some key projects in the area had taken too long to be completed even after the government paid all dues owed to the contractors. “I cannot allow contractors who have been paid by the government only to do shoddy jobs,” said DP Kindiki.
“We will not tolerate lazy contractors and other conmen,” he said. He further directed government officers to step up their supervisory roles and ensure that infrastructure projects are completed within the timelines set.
DP Kindiki was accompanied by Tharaka MP Gitonga Murugara, Chuka/Igamba-Ng’ombe MP Patrick Munene, Principal Secretaries Alex Wachira (Energy), Betsy Njagi (Blue Economy), Woman Rep Susan Ngugi and a host of MCAs led by Majority Leader Justin Kithinji, among other grassroots leaders.
“I am giving notice to government officials that I should not be having more information than officers on the ground,” he stated. He further warned fraudulent contractors that they would soon face prosecution in court.
“To the contractors, I am warning them today that they will be charged with obtaining money by false pretence because you cannot receive government money and not deliver,” he warned.
The new road which links Tharaka and Imenti Central constituencies is expected to boost mobility, connectivity, promote trade, growth and development in the Mt. Kenya region. DP Kindiki assured locals that several projects had been lined up.
“The contractor is under firm instructions to do the job without unnecessary delays,” “We have just started, this is just the start,” he said amidst cheers.
At the same time, DP Kindiki reaffirmed the government’s commitment to spreading development across the country and ending years of marginalisation.
Noting that Tharaka Nithi had been marginalised by successive governments, Kindiki assured locals of development saying that the government had set aside Sh6 billion for the upgrading of some 515 kilometres of roads to bitumen standards.
For instance, he said that when President William Ruto was elected in 2022, only 11 percent of households in Tharaka constituency had been connected with electricity. “We have worked hard and pushed electricity connectivity to 40 percent,” he said.
“Some constituencies are at 70 percent while others are at 90 percent but we will also get there in the next one-two years,” DP Kindiki assured.
