This archive report was first published on 21 December 2019.
Published on December 21, 2019, the Kenyan government has taken a bold step to address the issue of shoddy jobs in the road construction sector. Transport and Infrastructure Cabinet Secretary James Macharia announced that 15 road construction companies have been blacklisted for delivering substandard work and failing to meet project deadlines.
According to Macharia, the companies will no longer be allowed to work in the country. He stated, "The 15 road construction companies will never work in this country as long as we are in office. They have delivered shoddy jobs while others have ran away after receiving 10% down payment," he said.
The move comes at a time when President Uhuru Kenyatta is on a rush to deliver his Big 4 Agenda to ensure his legacy is fulfilled. The Big 4 Agenda is a development plan that aims to improve the lives of Kenyans in the areas of housing, manufacturing, and healthcare.
It is worth noting that the government has been under pressure to address the issue of shoddy jobs in the road construction sector. In October 2019, Macharia came under intense pressure from Kenyans over KSh 100 billion stalled projects initiated by his ministry.
Angry Tharaka Nithi residents barricaded Kathwana Road in Chuka town in September 2019 in protest over its delayed construction. A 2018 report by the Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO) revealed there were 545 stalled projects as of at June 2018 with 87 of these falling under the transport ministry.
