Housing Principal Secretary Charles Hinga has revealed why the contractor behind the Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) project whose construction had kicked off along Thika Road abandoned the site.
In a series of tweets on Monday, the PS, who was in the Transport docket during the second half of former President Uhuru Kenyatta's tenure, argued that the project was delayed due to budget cuts arising from the Covid-19 pandemic.
The PS was responding to an inquiry over why the project had stalled despite his 2019 announcement that 'we have the budget in the next financial year.'
He confirmed that the budget was provided and the construction of bus stages kicked off, but in early 2020, the pandemic derailed the progress.
"Budget was provided in 2019, works begun, actually stations in the inception phase were built to almost completion including the bus depot at Kasarani plus park and ride facility. (It was a) very advanced construction but the project suffered from budget cuts as a result of Covid-19," he explained.
He added the contractor left the site shortly after due to a shortage of funds.
In his conversation with the Transport CS Kipchumba Murkomen, which took place on Wednesday, Hinga, however, noted that plans to revive the project were in high gear.
The new plan is also designed to include the purchase of electric buses for the project in line with the government's goal of a green economy.
"I followed up with the CS in charge, yesterday and he informed me he has secured some initial budget to restart the constitution. We have also secured a grant facility that will be blended to bring in electric buses via the Kenya Millennium Development Fund (KMDF)," he added
"I’m now in a different ministry but I remain a very interested party in the success of Mass Rapid Transit Systems (MRTS) in Kenya as it’s the only solution to the congestion we experience on our roads. A dream delayed but not abandoned."
"I’m optimistic that in our lifetime we shall be able to experience reliable and affordable green public transport systems and that personal vehicles shall be a luxury. Let’s all support this noble but not very easy-to-implement agenda and join other progressive societies."
Thika Road is dotted with incomplete stages whose construction kicked off in 2019 in a project estimated at billions of shillings.
In 2021, the National Government's attempt to revive the project by pumping Ksh700 million into the project did little to advance the project.
In July last year, Murkomen and Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja inspected the BRT lane in Kasarani which covers the Ruiru-Nairobi CBD-Kenyatta National Hospital route.
“We are working with the National Treasury to ensure prompt settlement of pending bills owed to the contractor to enable him to resume work within the next two months with a target of December 2024 as the completion date,” Murkomen said during the visit.
However, as it stands, the site remains largely unattended to.
