Corrupt Roads Agency KURA Distances Itself From Its Project

Engineer Silas Kinoti, before the Public Investments Committee

The corrupt GoK roads agency Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA) led by their Director-general (DG) engineer Silas Kinoti has distanced itself from a billboard denoting the road has been build by the agency.

Late last year, residents in Kasarani protested bad roads in the are. The protests led to the death of a couple of residents as the government moved in to quell the situation. But how comes that for such an incompetent agency the government would come out with guns blazing against unarmed residents who were only asking for a road to be built so that they can access their places of work more easily and safely? Corruption is his name Silas Kinoti is the acting DG of KURA, being in an acting capacity had made him a puppet f the various conflicting interests out to fleece Kenyans through dubious tenders.

One of those cartels and vested interests is Eden Homes Limited which is able to delay KURA projects without any consequence. The firm has delayed projects and on top of that, it has been allowed to continue working without a contract extension. A source at the institution says that the extension that Kenya Urban Roads authority – KURA gave to the firm is devoid of any contract, yet the works is continuing ‘As we speak project was to end last year August but due to close relationships with Kinoti and Muchuri the contract was extended. Also, they have not renewed their contract but still the project is ongoing’, the source stated . Eden Homes Ltd took a bank guarantee from Sidian Bank but failed to do the works in time citing ‘adverse weather’, and ‘delays in relocation of electric poles and wires by Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC)’. Their request for an extension by a whopping 156 days was granted. What a joke? KURA has a knack for giving contracts to incompetent contractors. They end up delaying completing projects. There’s a cost to all these missed deadlines, but when one is working for KURA as a contractor, they can expect that to go away. KURA’s Director-General Engineer Silas One just needs to grease the palms of the acting Director-General Kinoti. “Kinoti is greedy mad, he takes bribes right-left and center. Looting everywhere and everything’, said a source. Eden Homes Ltd got their extension through a letter signed by another acting looter, Engineer Daniel G. Muchiri, who is the Acting Director for Urban Roads Planning and Design. Eden Homes subcontracted some work thereby flouting the law more. EACC The anti-corruption body is already compromised as detectives are said to have been given gifts in form of cars, money and houses by the corrupt KURA officials so as to look the other way. Kenyans should be reminded that EACC managers were bribed to cover up the rot at the National Social Security Fund (NSSF). Apart from being given houses, the EACC officials share the loot from the money collected from NSSF housing projects per month with EACC officials. The cartels at the helm of NSSF are deeply involved in corruption to an extent that from over 5,000 housing units in Nyayo Embakasi, which the fund collects Sh2,500 per house. Quick calculations indicate that the fund receives Sh12.5 million every month from the project. From the records at NSSF, the fund can only account for Sh6 million, which the records indicate are used on service providers each month. The rest, Sh6.5 million is looted by cartels and corrupt NSSF staff members. Cnyakundi.com has learnt that tenders are also awarded to EACC officials through their proxy firms. King Kinoti cannot be touched because he has pocketed EACC senior management led by Twalib Mbarak. Back to Eden Homes, the firm is said to be in the red and doesn’t remit statutory deductions to the relevant authorities. ‘Director Eden Homes Ltd deducts our salary, that’s PAYE, NHIF, NSSF but he doesn’t submit the same to the relevant authority. It’s really hurting as per now we pay our hospital fees yet he deducts from the salary’, said a staffer.