Murkomen Explains His Purported Love For Quoting Ksh700 M For Every Project

This came after he announced it would cost Ksh700 million to install toll stations on major highways

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Feb 2, 2024 - 12:42 Updated: Feb 2, 2024 - 12:44
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Murkomen Explains His Purported Love For Quoting Ksh700 M For Every Project
Transport CS Kipchumba Murkomen during a meeting with Taita Taveta County leaders to discuss the progress of road projects in their areas on February 1, 2024. /KIPCHUMBA MURKOMEN

Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has opened up on his alleged preference to quote Ksh700 million for every government project, a week after he was put on the spot by Kenyans.

This came after he announced it would cost Ksh700 million to install toll stations on major highways, with Kenyans digging up in investigative fashion the number of times the former Elgeyo Marakwet Senator has used the '700' figure to quote funds needed to undertake various projects.

In July 2023, Murkomen indicated that Ksh707 million would be needed to repair damages inflicted on the Nairobi Expressway which was destroyed during the anti-government protests.

Besides repairs, Murkomen had in December 2023 announced that it would require Ksh700 billion to complete ongoing road projects.

Transport CS Kipchumba Murkomen speaking while officially commissioning the newly constructed Nairobi Expressway Haile Selassie Exit Plaza on January 20, 2024. /KIPCHUMBA MURKOMEN

"Out of the Ksh700 billion required, Ksh150 billion is pending bills for road works that are already done while we have in this year's budget only Ksh46 billion for it,"  the CS revealed.

He also approved a Ksh700 million bonus payment for Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) employees.

While Kenyans called him out for exaggerating the quoted figures to misuse public funds, others believed that a few government officials were out of touch with matters on the ground, opining that some of the projects did not require that much money.

Others joked that the number 700 could be his lucky number as he had developed a liking for using it.

Murkomen in an opinion piece published in the Daily Nation on Friday, February 2 however explained that he was faced with a gigantic task of a Ksh900 billion portfolio for road projects already started by the previous regime or that the government had committed to, when he first assumed office as Roads and Transport CS.

"Because of the unfavourable economic situation at the time, we froze construction of new roads and dropped some, focusing instead on clearing unfinished ones, currently totalling 4,000km.

"These changes cut the projected costs to about Ksh750 billion (a figure social media satire claims I’m in love with). Some Ksh160 billion is for work done but not paid for," he stated.

According to Murkomen, completing the outstanding 4,000km with the current budget allocation of Ksh46 billion, which has been the case for the last seven years, will take 15 years.

On tolling major highways across the country, Murkomen clarified that his Ministry would embark on building new highways on which they would set up toll stations, contrary to reports that toll stations would be erected along the existing major highways.

"I didn’t say that we would toll existing roads. We would build new ones and then set up toll stations on them for investors to recoup their money," he addressed.

Defending the plan, Murkomen stated that introducing the toll charges on highways would boost the country’s revenue and help fund projects outlined by the Ministry.  

“Revenue from tolls can supplement government budgets and enable agencies to invest more in infrastructure without relying only on budgetary allocations,” he added. 

Nonetheless, the CS announced that his Ministry was open to allowing Kenyans and local financial institutions to invest in the new road projects through the stock exchange.

On Friday last week, Murkomen placed Athi River-Namanga Road and Galleria-Rongai-Ngong-Karen Shopping Centre among roads that would be subjected to the tolling system.

Other roads included Mombasa to Malaba, Corridor C and D roads which are Museum Hill-Moyale and Sirare- Lodwar respectively and Kiambu Road.

A toll station along the Nairobi Expressway. /FILE

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