MPs push for Sh200bn roads bond to accomplish infrastructure target
National Assembly Transport Committee chairman David Pkosing with members of his team at a past press briefing. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
Of the Sh18 billion, Sh11 billion has been proposed for rural roads, Sh3 billion for the national highways and Sh4 billion for urban roads, mostly in Nairobi.
But while Mr Pkosing made the proposal, questions were raised about Kenya’s data on completed roads.
MPs are proposing a Sh200 billion infrastructure bond to help the Government honour its pledge of building 10,000 kilometres of roads by 2022.
The proposal by the National Assembly’s Transport Committee means Kenya will commit Sh10 billion from the Fuel Levy Fund each year to repay the bond.
In a presentation to the House Budget Committee, the roads team said the bond was the only way to address the Sh115 billion budget deficit in the roads sector and at the same time, ensure the realisation of Jubilee’s infrastructure dream — a key plank of President Uhuru Kenyatta’s second term promises.
“As it stands, we have the money in the Fuel Levy Fund sitting there waiting to be spent. If we go this direction, by 2022, we will have delivered 10,000 kilometres of complete tarmac,” Transport, public works and housing committee chairman David Pkosing told the Budget committee on Friday.
BUDGET PROPOSALS
Mr Pkosing, who is also the Pokot South MP, was making his committee’s presentation on the budget proposals to the budgetary committee team at Boma Hotel in Nairobi.
But before bond, Mr Pkosing told the committee, the House should ask Treasury to borrow Sh18 billion from the annuity fund to repair roads damaged by floods, adding that the cash should be refunded after the bond is floated.
“The ongoing floods damaged critical roads and bridges connecting towns, social amenities and health facilities and trading centres across the country,” Mr Pkosing said.
Of the Sh18 billion, Sh11 billion has been proposed for rural roads, Sh3 billion for the national highways and Sh4 billion for urban roads, mostly in Nairobi.
“Out of the Sh18 billion for floods damaged roads, Sh8.7 billion will be distributed equally to the 290 constituencies, with each constituency receiving Sh30 million,” Mr Pkosing proposed.
The remainder, he said should be spent on rebuilding bridges.”
COMPLETED ROADS
But while Mr Pkosing made the proposal, questions were raised about Kenya’s data on completed roads.
It is also not clear, from the official government data, how many kilometres of roads have been completed since 2013, with President Uhuru Kenyatta putting the figure at 3,000 during his 2018 State of the Nation address.
Mr Pkosing said 6,100 kilometres were under construction and that the government plans to work on 1,200 kilometres this year, translating to Sh48 billion against the allocated Sh25 billion.
