President William Ruto orders removal of contractor over eight-year stalled road in Kisii

President William Ruto has directed the Ministry of Roads to terminate the contract of a firm tasked with the construction of a key road in Kisii County. The project, which was originally awarded in 2018, has remained incomplete for years, causing significant frustration among local residents and businesses who rely on the corridor for transport.

The directive was issued during the President’s recent developmental tour of the Gusii region. Speaking to residents, President Ruto expressed his dissatisfaction with the slow pace of work, noting that the project was launched during his tenure as Deputy President but has seen little progress since. He stated that the government would no longer tolerate "lazy" contractors who hold public projects hostage through endless delays.

The road in question has been a point of contention for nearly a decade. Despite initial approvals and various site mobilizations, the stretch has remained largely impassable, particularly during the rainy seasons. This has hampered the movement of agricultural produce, which is a backbone of the Kisii County economy.

Local leaders have previously raised concerns about the contractor’s capacity to deliver. While some delays in the region have been attributed to historical pending bills, the government recently moved to clear verified arrears through a securitization deal. This financial intervention was intended to allow contractors to return to sites, but the administration maintains that non-performance will now result in immediate termination.

The Ministry of Roads is expected to begin the process of re-tendering the works to a more capable firm. This move follows a broader policy shift where the state is increasingly blacklisting firms that fail to meet strict completion timelines. President Ruto emphasized that infrastructure projects are a priority for the national transformation agenda and must be executed with efficiency.

In addition to the road project, the President’s tour of Kisii and Nyamira counties included the launch of several other multi-million shilling projects. These include the modernization of the Suneka Airstrip, which has been allocated 400 million Shillings, and the construction of various modern markets.

The removal of the contractor is seen as a message to other firms handling government tenders across the country. Resident engineers have been instructed to provide weekly progress reports on all ongoing works to ensure that such long-term stalls do not recur.