Wetang’ula: Express Highway inflated by Sh40 billion
Bungoma Senator Moses Wetangula has sensationally claimed the cost of the Nairobi Express Superhighway has been inflated by a whooping Sh40 billion.
In his contribution at the Senate, Wetangula, who served in former President Mwai Kibaki’s cabinet adds that the idea to build the expansive road was mooted during his time as Minister.
He maintains the road was approved during Kibaki’s tenure at a cost of sh23 billion but now costs Sh63 billion.
“Mr. Speaker that road from the airport (JKIA) to Westlands was approved by Kibaki’s cabinet at a cost of sh23 billion,” the senator stated.
“But I saw the President (Uhuru Kenyatta) launching the same road at 63 billion. It was in the public domain, it is not the mistake of the president. Who is ghosting our project?”
President Uhuru Kenyatta commissioned the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport to Westlands Express highway in 2019.
The four-lane dual carriageway is expected to ease traffic congestion along Mombasa road and enhance mobility within the capital. It currently is 40% complete.
President Kenyatta’s government has been rocked by corruption allegations and the Head of State recently acknowledged that sh2 billion is stolen daily by people serving in his government.
The corruption reports recently led Kenyans to storming the International Monetary Fund (IMF) social media pages to protest the move to award Kenya a Sh255 billion loan.