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Kenya: Errant Contractors Have Destroyed Country's Roads
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Business Daily (Nairobi)
OPINION
15 May 2008
Posted to the web 15 May 2008
Norman Mudibo
No sooner had the new ministers assumed their respective dockets than they read the riot act to land grabbers and errant road contractors.
My focus, however, will be on the deplorable state of our roads, especially in the expansive Eastlands area in Nairobi.
Threats and stern warnings have become a tired chorus. Road construction and repairs in this country are characteristically embarrassing.
Amidst murmurs of discontent and dissatisfaction, certain contractors do not give a hoot about the quality of their work.
They shamelessly go ahead to demand illicit payments. It doesn't matter at all even if one issues ultimatums a million times for they know they will still extract ill deserved concessions.
They use their so-called high-level connections to perpetuate mediocrity, impunity much to the chagrin of the hoi polloi. Such impunity has cost this country billions of shillings that would otherwise have been spent on social projects.
Unfortunately, the custodians of our interests have abdicated their roles and choose to wine and dine with the enemies and only issue cosmetic directives when prompted by public pressure.
With such attitude and connivance, we find ourselves being subjected to all kinds of inconveniences as we go about our daily undertakings.
It is such attitudes that have exacerbated the situation with our road networks. The upshot is the eyesore that is the Eastlands road network.
For instance, Outering Road, which stretches from the GSU headquarters roundabout on Thika Road to the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, is a significant link that has become a mark of national shame.
How about Old Airport North Road which stretches from Mombasa Road to the heardquarters of one of Africa's largest airlines - Kenya Airways. Driving on these two roads is a nightmare.
We need yardsticks to guide road repairs, reconstruction or building. The minister must now walk the talk by reining in errant contractors.
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Mudibo is a media manager at Tell-EM Public Relations Ltd.
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