Bomet County government of Kenya has allocated US $6.4m towards the construction of roads and bridges across the county in an effort to ease movement of people and fresh farm produce to market.
Bomet Central Sub-County, Governor Joyce Laboso confirmed the reports during a tour of Morit Bridge in Chesoen and said her administration is directing the funds to expansion and maintenance of roads in the region.
“We have allocated US $6.4m for the construction of roads and 10 bridges in all the 25 wards in the county in the 2018/2019 financial year. It is only through expansion and improvement of infrastructural facilities that the county can attract investors,” said Governor Joyce Laboso.
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Roads Maintenance Levy Fund
Part of US $1.5m has been allocated from the Roads Maintenance Levy Fund towards industrial development in the county (RMLF). Kenya Roads Board and Kenya Rural Roads Authority have also partnered with the county government to build various urban roads at a cost of US $2m.
Four bridges whose construction has been in abeyance after contractors who won tenders in June 2018 failed to implement the projects in the last six months have been re-advertised.
“We have re-tendered the four bridges – Muriasi bridge in Boito/Kimulot wards, Nukiat box culvert in Kapletundo Ward, and Siomo-Targambei bridge in Embomos Ward after the contractors failed to implement the works before the December 17, 2018 dateline for handing over the project to the county,” said Dr Laboso.
Additionally, Dr Laboso said that her administration has invited contractors to bid for the spot patching of the 1.9-kilometre access road to Tenwek Hospital and warned contractors against shoddy work in the county saying they will be blacklisted.
“The state of the Tenwek access road will be improved with works to be undertaken entailing base reinforcement, pot hole patching and drainage opening. Contractors must also ensure that they implement the projects as per the set specification as we will not pay for shoddy work. The public must get value for money,” said Dr Laboso.
