The Sh3 billion initiative to upgrade the Narok-Sekenani Gate road to bitumen standards was suspended in 2019 after Chinese contractor China Wu Yi Construction Company halted work due to unresolved financial issues.
The project, initiated in 2016, aimed to complete the 86-kilometre route by June 2019 to support the peak tourism season. However, contractors cited unremitted government funds as the reason for the stoppage, leaving 65% of the work unfinished.
Nominated MP David olé Sankok demanded accountability from Transport Cabinet Secretary James Macharia, questioning the allocation of funds. 'The contractors cannot proceed without payment,' he stated, emphasizing the road's role in facilitating access for tourists and residents.
Construction sites at Loita Plains Hotel and Nkoilale trading centre remain idle, with local workers dismissed. The road, critical for accessing the Maasai Mara Game Reserve established in 1958, generates Sh2.73 billion annually in county revenue.
Tour operators alleged government interference, with Felix Migoya of the Tour Guides and Drivers Association accusing officials of colluding with airlines to delay the project. 'A completed road would boost tourism, threatening airline clientele,' he claimed.
