Rironi-Mau Summit delay: Gachagua responds to CS Chirchir

Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has criticized Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir's explanation for the Rironi-Mau Summit highway delays. In a church service at PCEA Kamangu in Kikuyu Constituency, Gachagua alleged that Chinese government officials had refused to fund the project due to its perceived political nature, given the upcoming election.

He stated that senior Chinese officials had denied providing funds, considering the road a risky endeavor ahead of the elections. Gachagua further questioned the use of KSh30 billion from the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) to finance the project, asserting that there was no contract for the road and that pensioners' money had been misappropriated.

He directed his concerns to the directors of China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) and Shandong, as well as NSSF trustees and managing trustees, warning them over the financing arrangement. Gachagua vowed to bring them to court for misusing KSh30 billion for a political project. Earlier, NSSF had reportedly considered investing up to KSh30 billion in the road project, expecting returns from the proposed toll-road arrangement.

However, Gachagua's accusations follow Chirchir's claim that construction delays were due to difficulties in obtaining bitumen, a crucial material for road surfacing. Chirchir recently inspected the works and stated that the government had secured enough bitumen to expedite the project, with the Rironi-Naivasha section expected to open in December, despite missing an earlier October deadline.

The highway serves as a vital route for travelers, businesses, and transporters connecting Nairobi and the Rift Valley, and its completion is anticipated to alleviate congestion and reduce travel times for thousands of road users.