Thika superhighway contractors yet to be paid Ksh.428M

The Treasury Department has yet to clear the pending bill, according to Auditor General Nancy Gathungu, who also warned that if the government fails to do so, taxpayers will face increased penalties.

"The project is at risk of costs and penalties with the continued delay in making payments," said Gathungu in a report tabled in Parliament.

Ms Gathungu said an audit done for the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) revealed an exact amount of Ksh. 428,623,554 as of June 30, 2021. She chastised KeNHA for blaming the delays in the release of funds on the government.

"However the project was not availed for audit review, being more than six years after the expiry of the closure period," she said.

The superhighway project cost Ksh.32 billion and was completed by a Chinese consortium.

She also stated that a Chinese lender, China Exim Bank, has not been paid amounts totaling Ksh. 3.6 billion, which was used to build the Nairobi Southern Bypass.

KeNHA is now obligated to release the funds, an increase of Ksh.726 million from the outstanding Ksh. 2.9 billion in 2020.