Cabinet Secretary nominee for Roads, Transport and Public works, Kipchumba Murkomen has faulted Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KERRA) for issuing fabricated and non-existence road tenders especially in volatile regions and marginalized areas.
Murkomen, who appeared for vetting today at the Parliament, said no construction is done even after tender awards are made.
“Roads in marginalised areas in this country are constructed ‘on paper’, people are issued with tenders, they go and sit in air conditioned hotels, they fill the papers and do nothing,” he said.
“We must provide proper oversight of the road constructed under KERRA. Tender owners have vigilantes in those areas to ensure that no auditor can go to ensure whether there is a road or not,” he added.
He said that once he got approved to office, he would work with the Ministry of Interior to ensure that the construction of roads is completed.
“We must not benefit from the suffering of our people. I want to assure you that there is no part of this country that I will not visit. We will work together with the ministry of interior to ensure we reach this places,” he said.
He also stated that the Expressway was not built by public funds but with private money.
“Kenyans should know that the Expressway was not built by public money, it was built by private money. The only thing is that the concession was given 30 years,” he said
He vowed to work with the Ministry of Finance and the Kenya Revenue Authority to ensure that measures are put in place to expedite the process of clearing of goods.
“We will work with the relevant ministry of finance and KRA to ensure that they are able to put in place modern technology that can expedite the process of clearing of goods,” he said.
Murkomen disclosed his net worth as Sh550 million.
Other designates scheduled for vetting today are Agriculture and Forestry CS nominee, Soipan Tuya, Tourism, Wildlife and Heritage CS nominee Peninah Malonza, Lands Housing and Urban Development CS nominee Zacharia Njeru and Health CS nominee Susan Wafula.