The Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) now faces a new hurdle in launching the Green Park terminus after the main contractor, Fairton Agencies, on Saturday, May 21, gave it 24 hours to pay services rendered.
Speaking to NTV, Osborne Yogo, claimed that his company has not been paid a single cent for the construction of the bus park despite NMS announcing that it will launch the facility on March 24.
Yogo demanded that the institution led by Director-General Mohammed Badi, convenes a meeting to work out a payment plan lest he moves to court to seek orders to stop the unveiling of the terminus.
"They have 24 hours to call us to a round table and give us a payment plan; a road map to our payment - and that should be done in a written commitment," he stated.
"We will move to court seeking an injunction to make sure that this facility is not launched by Tuesday as planned because there is no way the president (Uhuru Kenyatta) can launch the place while it has not been paid for," Yogo added.
In response to the claims, NMS Director for transport Michael Ochieng' stated that the contract had not been awarded to Fairtone Agencies through the Badi-led entity but through the China Roads and Bridges Corporation (CRBC).
He further denied knowledge of a letter dated November 5, 2020 which awarded a Ksh98 million contract to Fairton Agencies for the construction of sheds and other facilities despite it bearing his signature.
"An Executive Order directing an immediate relocation of the Railway PSV terminus has necessitated a variation f our contract with the CRBC hence the award of this contract to Fairton Agencies ltd. for the construction of the sheds and accompanying facilities," read the letter in part.
Yogo disputed the claims, stating that he had documentation to show that the contract was awarded through NMS. He further accused officials at NMS of attempting to swindle contractors by including them in the main contract awarded to CRBC.
"We have had several transactions and communication to confirm that our engagement was not with CRBC. We were told that CRBC is the one to pay us. Since then it has been a cat and mouse game," he added.
On May 18, NMS released a schedule for the launch of the terminus which will will be implemented in phases. PSVs plying Ngong' Road and Argwings Kodhek Road will pick up and drop passengers at the bus park from May 24.
Those plying Lang'ata Road , beginning May 27, will pick up and drop off passengers at the same terminal.The new terminal will handle traffic from Ngong Road, Langata Road/Raila Odinga Road, Argwings Kodhek Road, Bunyala Road and Lusaka Road.
The project is part of NMS' plan to ease traffic within the Central Business District by restricting entry of PSVs.
