{
  "id": 18118546,
  "title": "Gachagua misleading Kenyans on Rironi-Mau Summit project costs – Mbadi",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/04/gachagua-misleading-kenyans-on-rironi-mau-summit-project-costs-mbadi",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-04T11:35:09.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "KBC",
    "slug": "kbc",
    "url": "https://www.kbc.co.ke/gachagua-misleading-kenyans-on-rironi-mau-summit-project-costs-mbadi/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "National Treasury and Economic Planning Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi has rejected allegations from former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua that President William Ruto's administration inflated the cost of the Rironi-Mau Summit Highway project from Ksh150 billion to Ksh200 billion. Gachagua also accused the government of misappropriating Ksh30 billion from the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) for the project. Mbadi dismissed Gachagua's claims, asserting that his comparison was inaccurate as it failed to account for significant changes to the highway's design and the heightened commercial risks associated with the earlier contract. During a speech at the 2026 NCBA Economic Forum in Nairobi, Mbadi explained that the original Ksh150 billion estimate pertained to the initial design contracted with a French firm, which was later abandoned. He emphasized that the revised design now features eight lanes between Naivasha and Nakuru, a change not reflected in the initial plan. \"The design of that road changed,\" Mbadi stated. \"From Naivasha to Nakuru is now eight lanes. Go and check the other design. It was not that.\" In addition, Mbadi defended the government's decision to terminate the previous contract, citing the significant financial risks it posed to the country. \"One of the reasons why this government decided to terminate the other contract was because of the commercial risk that was passing to the government. It was a huge risk to our economy,\" he said. He maintained that the government could not proceed with a deal that transferred excessive financial burden to the borrower, stressing the importance of protecting the economy from such risks. Mbadi took issue with Gachagua's public assertions, accusing him of making unsubstantiated claims and warning that such remarks could deceive Kenyans lacking detailed information about the project. He expressed concern over the potential impact of misinformation on the public, arguing that political leaders bear a responsibility to verify information before presenting it as fact. \"I would have just ignored because, really, there are some people when they talk, the best thing to do is to ignore them. But if you realise they can confuse some good people out there, then you save the good people,\" Mbadi explained, justifying his response to Gachagua's allegations. He argued that staying silent in the face of misleading claims could allow false narratives to gain wider acceptance, stating, \"If you assume that people know the truth and you don’t tell them, you will find yourself alone. Everybody believes the lie.\"",
  "summary": "Treasury CS says changes to highway's design and concerns over commercial risks informed govt's decision to terminate contract with French firm The post Gachagua misleading Kenyans on Rironi-Mau Summit project costs – Mbadi appeared first on KBC Digital .",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}