Roads and Transport CS Kipchumba Murkomen disclosed that the financial toll of road and transport infrastructure damage caused by recent floods amounts to a staggering Sh37.3 billion. Murkomen unveiled the extent of the destruction, with rural roads bearing losses of Sh18.5 billion, national roads at Sh9.7 billion, and urban roads at Sh9.1 billion.
Initiating the restoration process, Murkomen assured, “Efforts to rebuild the critically affected infrastructure are underway, prioritizing areas where communities face isolation, pending budgetary allocations in the upcoming fiscal year.” Murkomen expressed gratitude to regional road directors for their dedication.
Acknowledging the monumental task ahead, Murkomen sought assistance from development partners to address the extensive devastation. Emphasizing accountability, he urged directors to uphold quality standards within resource constraints, stressing the importance of ongoing supervision to ensure optimal utilization of funds.
Emphasizing adherence to maintenance regulations, Murkomen stressed the necessity of maintaining road structures, including signage and markings. The CS highlighted the shortage of maintenance funds for Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KeRRA) roads as a key concern, prompting discussions on resource allocation and corrective strategies in collaboration with Parliament.
Murkomen outlined plans for sustainable infrastructure development through dualing and tolling initiatives under Public-Private Partnership, reassuring that the policy will be both progressive and economically feasible to support network expansion and maintenance efforts.