Mbadi Slams SGR, Uhuru-Era Roads Over Nairobi-Nakuru Highway Congestion

Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi has lashed out at key infrastructure priorities that were done under the leadership of President Uhuru Kenyatta after huge congestion were experienced as Kenyans travelled home for Christmas.

Speaking during the funeral service of the late Mama Anne Nanyama, the mother to National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula, on Friday, January 3, Mbadi questioned how decisions to fund key infrastructural projects were arrived at under the previous regimes.

According to the CS, as a result of the mishaps in the fiscal decisions, the current government has been forced to carry the blame.

”We borrowed money to do roads up to some villages, but some people take minutes to reach their villages, while on an important road like the Nakuru Nairobi Highway, no one saw the need to make it a dual way,” Mbadi stated.

Mbadi questioned the fiscal viability of constructing some highways leading to some parts of the country while leaving out some that, in his eyes, offer better rewards. He, however, did not mention the roads by name.

”We borrowed money to build the SGR, which was a good idea. But that SGR did not have to terminate at Naivasha and could have instead gone all the way to Malaba as per the original plan,” he added.

In what might be viewed as throwing a jab at the previous regime under the leadership of Uhuru, the CS lashed out at the critics of the current government’s financial struggles.

According to the CS, the issue of Kenyans still finding it hard to enjoy the ripple effects of a stabilising economy cannot be solely blamed on the current regime. 

Mbadi has also opened up on why a majority of Kenyans are still suffering from the tough economic situation despite the government assurances that the economy has stabilised.

”If we are complaining about the bad economy, it is because of two reasons. Number one is the public debt, and two is because of the pending bills. Are you telling us that all these came when Ruto was the President?” questioned Mbadi while lashing out at the government critics.

”Why have we forgotten how we arrived here? Why are we blaming Ruto for fixing a problem that was created?

The construction of the Mombasa-Nairobi phase of the SGR cost the government Ksh327 billion, while the extension to Naivasha amounted to Ksh150 billion. The final phase of Malaba is projected to cost Ksh380 billion.

If the government proceeds with plans to upgrade the Nairobi-Nakuru Highway to a dual carriageway, the project is estimated to require Ksh180 billion from the Treasury or other sources.