New tarmac road to be completed next month, says Wambora

Embu Governor Martin Wambora has promised that his government would complete its inaugural 12-kilometre Embu-Kibugu road in a month's time.

He said the contractor had engaged other competent road builders to ensure it was ready before the next rains. The construction is done using probase technology.

Mr Wambora, speaking during his tour of the construction progress, said they had already done about 1.6 kilometres and stabilized a further 4.6 kilometres.

The road whose tarmacking started six months ago at a cost of Sh3.7 billion has been a provoked a tag of war between the Governor and area MPs, with the latter claiming the road is a national government project.

“We have stepped up the construction after the rains subsided. It will be ready by the end of August,” he promised.

Mr Wambora also took a delegation from Tanzania that is seeking to learn about the technology and possibly replicate it.

Infrastructure Chief Officer Charles Nyaga said sub-contractors have been engaged to fast-track the tarmacking.

The seven member delegation, through their leader Musa Omar Mataka, the head of Laboratory and Research in Tanzania’s Roads Ministry, said if satisfied with the technology, they will recommend for its usage in tarmacking feeder roads in their country.

“We were invited by the probase company to benchmark on the roads tarmacked using their technology in Meru and Embu Counties. We want to establish its durability and cost-effectiveness. If satisfied, we will recommend for its usage in our country,” said Mr Mataka.

Mr Wambora added they will continue using cost-effective simple technologies as they look to tarmac a further 106 kilometers of roads in the county before June 2017.

He further said the county has also explored Japan’s road construction technology that involves use of sacks of sand and murram and compressing them to improve some feeder roads.

Editing by Philip Momanyi