Laboso: Bomet County to spend Sh656m to build roads, bridges
Bomet Governor Joyce Laboso and other officials inspect the Morit twin-culvert bridge on January 10, 2019. The governor reveals that this year, her administration spend Sh656 million on roads and infrastructural development. PHOTO | VITALIS KIMUTAI | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Governor Laboso said she is building roads in the region in a bid to ease movement of people and fresh farm produce to markets.
- In the last financial year, the county built 404 kilometres of rural roads in its five sub counties.
- Dr Laboso said contractors have been invited to bid for the spot patching of the 1.9-kilometre access road to Tenwek Hospital.
The Bomet County government will spend Sh656 million on roads and infrastructural development this year.
Speaking Thursday during a tour of Morit bridge in Chesoen, Bomet Central Sub-County, Governor Joyce Laboso said her administration is channelling the funds to expansion and maintenance of roads in the region in a bid to ease movement of people and fresh farm produce to markets.
"We have allocated Sh656,327,262 million 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 Dr Laboso
ROADS LEVY
The allocation for the infrastructural development is inclusive of Sh156,252,849 million from the Roads Maintenance Levy Fund (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 Sh200 million.
In the last financial year, the county built 404 kilometres of rural roads in the five sub counties of Bomet East, Bomet Central, Konoin, Chepalungu and Sotik.
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.
CONDEMNED BRIDGE
She said the Sugutek-Chepkositonik bridge in Merigi Ward which was condemned and partly demolished by Triple Tie Investment Company which had won a Sh8.4 million tender to construct it has also been re-tendered.
She stated that full demolition of the bridge has been included in the re-tendering and a new contractor is expected to bring it down before reconstruction starts.
TENWEK HOSPITAL ROAD
At the same time, 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.
“The state of the Tenwek access road will be improved with works to be undertaken entailing base reinforcement, pot hole patching and drainage opening,” said Dr Laboso.
The governor warned contractors against shoddy work in the county saying they will be blacklisted.
"Contractors must 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.
She further stated that her administration is keen on rolling out development projects that will spur economic growth and create employment opportunities for the youth in the county.
