President William Ruto has defended the government’s decision to cancel the previous Rironi–Mau Summit Road contract, claiming Kenya saved nearly KSh 60 billion after negotiating an exit agreement with the French-linked consortium.
Speaking in Mombasa during the Kenya Comprehensive School Heads Association Conference, Ruto said the government paid $50 million (approximately KSh 6.5 billion) to terminate the earlier agreement, arguing that continuing with the court dispute could have cost the country between $200 million and $300 million.
The President said the negotiations helped the government avoid further legal expenses and proceed with a new arrangement for the construction of the highway.
Why Ruto cancelled the French road contract
Ruto said the original contract was awarded in 2020 under the previous administration to a consortium involving Meridian Infrastructure Africa Fund, Vinci Highways SAS and Vinci Concessions SAS.
However, construction had not started because of a court dispute surrounding the project.
According to the President, the government considered negotiating an exit rather than allowing the legal proceedings to continue.
“We reached out to the company and we negotiated and we exited because I could see clearly that the matter that was in court would cost us more money than the negotiations,” Ruto said.
He added that the government paid $50 million to terminate the agreement, claiming the court case could have cost between $200 million and $300 million without delivering the road.
New Rironi–Mau Summit Road to cost KSh 191 billion
The President said the new road construction arrangement, being undertaken by China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC), would cost approximately KSh 191 billion, compared with the KSh 249 billion projected under the previous French agreement.
Ruto argued that the revised arrangement would save taxpayers close to KSh 60 billion.
He also defended the expanded scope of the project, saying the new road would cover approximately 210 kilometres, compared with 175 kilometres under the earlier proposal.
The Naivasha–Nakuru section has also been redesigned to accommodate six lanes instead of the four initially proposed.
Motorists to pay less in road toll charges
Ruto further said motorists would pay KSh 8 per kilometre under the new arrangement, compared with KSh 12 per kilometre under the previous contract.
The government is also considering extending the road network beyond Mau Summit through a feasibility study covering other towns along the Northern Corridor.
Ruto reveals plans to extend highway to Malaba, Kisumu and Kisii
The President said the government had already set aside resources for a feasibility study to explore extending the highway towards Malaba, with additional connections to Eldoret, Kericho, Kisumu and Kisii.
“Already we have resources to do a feasibility study on that road going all the way to Malaba. In another year or two that road will be in Eldoret and on the other side to Kericho, Kisumu and Kisii. We are going to dual all of that road,” he said.
Ruto also hinted at plans to revive the dualling of the Nairobi–Mombasa Highway, saying the government intended to implement the project within the next year.
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