Coastal Road Inspection Reveals Progress After State Clears Contractor Arrears

Cabinet Secretary for Roads and Transport Davis Chirchir conducted an extensive inspection of infrastructure projects across the coastal region this week. The tour served as a formal assessment of site progress following the government’s recent disbursement of funds to settle pending bills owed to contractors. The Ministry of Roads has prioritized the resumption of stalled projects, citing the stabilization of payments as the primary catalyst for renewed activity on major transport corridors.

The Cabinet Secretary began his field visit with a detailed review of the 15km Cess (Nghonyi) to Rekeke to Lake Jipe road in Taita Taveta County. This specific section represents the first phase of a broader effort to upgrade the local network to bitumen standards. The project is designed to facilitate easier access to Lake Jipe and the surrounding agricultural zones, which have historically faced logistical challenges during rainy seasons.

Accompanying the Cabinet Secretary were several senior government engineers and administrators tasked with the direct oversight of the nation's road assets. The delegation included the Principal Secretary for Roads, Eng. Joseph Mbugua, along with the Acting Director General of the Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KeRRA), Eng. Jackson Magondu. Also present was the Acting Director General of the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA), Eng. Luka Kimeli, representing the inter-agency coordination required for regional infrastructure development.

The presence of the KeRRA leadership was particularly relevant as the Cess-Nghonyi-Rekeke route falls under the mandate of the rural roads agency. The inspection team reviewed technical specifications and the current state of surfacing on the initial kilometers of the project. This visit follows a period of administrative pressure to ensure that contractors return to sites in full capacity now that the financial backlog up to December 2025 has been addressed.

According to Ministry officials, the settlement of these arrears was made possible through the securitization of the Road Maintenance Levy Fund. This financing mechanism has allowed the State Department for Roads to unlock the capital necessary to pay for verified works that had remained unpaid for several months. For the Taita Taveta region, the completion of this road is expected to serve as a vital link for the movement of agricultural produce and the growth of the local fishing industry at Lake Jipe.

The inspection tour also touched upon the necessity of ensuring that drainage structures and culverts are completed before the onset of the next seasonal rains. The technical team led by Eng. Mbugua noted that while the primary carriage way is the focus, the longevity of the infrastructure depends on the robustness of these ancillary structures.

As the government seeks to wrap up ongoing works before the end of the current financial year, the Ministry has indicated that strict timelines will be enforced. The Cabinet Secretary noted during the tour that the period of inactivity at sites is officially over. Contractors who have received payments are expected to demonstrate immediate results on the ground or face the risk of contract termination for non-performance.

The coastal tour continues with additional stops planned at major interchanges and bridges that have been identified as critical bottlenecks. The Ministry intends to use these site visits to verify that the quality of materials being used matches the revised national standards for high-traffic rural roads.