Lagat unveils Sh200m roadworks machines

Nandi Governor Cleophas Lagat on Monday unveiled road construction machinery worth Sh200 million as the county moves towards self-reliance to end its perennial wars with contractors.

Last month, contractors hired to rehabilitate the county’s roads stormed the Nandi County Government offices in Kapsabet Town and held eight top officials hostage over the non-payment of Sh207 million.

The amount was owed for works carried out since 2014.

The officials were held hostage at the Kapsabet Town Hall after a meeting between them and the contractors ended in chaos. The contractors stormed out of the meeting and locked the officials inside the hall.

The officials caught in the impasse were finance executive Charles Muge, county secretary Francis Ominde, roads engineer Alex Baigut, head of procurement Mechack Tankoi, county chief of staff Timon Kosgey, head of revenue collection Hellen Rotich, county legal officer Annah Munya and Nandi North Sub-County administrator Sammy Keter.

Launching the county government’s machines Monday, Governor Cleophas Lagat said the new equipment would fast-track the upgrading of roads.

“The Nandi County Government has opened a new chapter in which all the roads will be upgraded after the purchase of this Sh200 million equipment,” Dr Lagat said in Kapsabet on Monday.

“This will also help end the war of words between the county government and contractors over the poor state of the roads,” he added.

The governor said he had appointed a committee to visit all parts of the devolved unit to ensure the roads are done to required standards.

He implored farmers to invest more in agricultural production as the upgraded roads would enable them to get to markets in good time.

“I have today established a fully fledged road maintenance section in Nandi County that will ensure quality roadworks in all the six sub-counties,” said Dr Lagat.