This archive report was first published on 2 November 2019.
Published on November 2, 2019, the US government has denied claims that the Nairobi-Mombasa expressway will cripple Kenya with debt.
US Ambassador to Kenya Kyle McCarter released a statement assuring Kenyans that the American Government remains committed to fulfilling President Donald Trump's pledge to make the road a reality.
“Contrary to recent press reports, the highway is an investment that won’t saddle Kenya with unsustainable debt,” the ambassador said.
The ambassador further stated that the project, undertaken by a world-class US company, will provide the best engineered solutions for Kenya’s infrastructure needs at a lower price than competitors and for far better value.
Concerns had been raised about the country's ability to afford the Ksh. 300 billion project, given the country's total public debt of Ksh. 5.7 trillion by June this year.
The ambassador also assured Kenyans that the investment was safe, with the US government committed to preventing corruption in the construction process.
“Furthermore, doing business with a U.S. company helps combat corruption through the anti-bribery provisions of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act,” the ambassador said.
