New contractor for Kakamega road that stalled for months

Construction work on the Kakamega-Kaburengu road is set to resume this month under a new contractor following the termination of Indian firm Vil Limited’s contract.

The Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) is in the process of hiring a new contractor after work on the road stalled for months posing a challenge to transporters in the western region.

Vil Limited failed to meet the March 31, 2015, work completion deadline.

“It is expected that a new contractor will commence the work in July and complete in 24 months,” Transport secretary James Macharia told Parliament.

The contract with Vil Limited was signed in July 2012 and the construction commencement date was April 1 2013.

KeNHA served Vil with a notice of termination of contract in May 2014 which the contractor challenged in the High Court.

Construction work on the road stalled following the protracted court dispute. However, the High Court delivered a ruling in June 2015 referring the parties to an arbitration.

‘‘Arbitral proceedings were initiated in August 2015 and in September the contractor requested for discussions with KeNHA with a view of reaching amicable termination of the contract.

“This culminated in the execution in March 2016 of a deed of settlement between the two parties. Procedures specified in the deed are ongoing and the two parties released each other in May 2016,” said Mr Macharia when he appeared before the National Assembly’s Transport Committee.
He was responding to Malava MP Malulu Injendi who sought to know why construction work on the road had stalled.

It is part of the 147km road network modernisation project being carried out by KeNHA in Kisumu, Vihiga, Kakamega, Bungoma and Trans Nzoi counties.

The project also involves building interchanges and pedestrian crossings as well as drainage systems and market loops.