The National Assembly Committee on Implementation has demanded the urgent completion of two stalled road projects in Mombasa County, which serve as key links along the Northern Corridor connecting Kenya to Eastern and Central Africa.

The lawmakers, led by Chairperson Raphael Wanjala, said the delays are unacceptable and have caused serious inconvenience to residents and motorists.

During their oversight visit to the region, the committee inspected the Jomvu Kuu-Jitoni-Rabai Road in Jomvu Subcounty, being constructed by the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA), and the Mombasa-Mariakani Dualling Project handled by the Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA).

The two projects were flagged for slow progress, despite their strategic importance to the national transport network.

KURA Director General Eng. Silas Kinoti told the committee that the delay in the Jomvu Kuu-Jitoni-Rabai project was caused by late payment to the contractor, but assured the team that the issue has now been resolved.

“Hon. Chair, the delay has been caused by a delay to pay for the works done already. He has however now been paid and he’s pledged that he will resume works soon,” Eng. Kinoti stated.

The committee was not satisfied with the explanation and stressed that the delay had disrupted the daily lives of residents.

“Eng. this road is a crucial link to the main Mombasa highway and its completion delay has caused distress to the area residents and motorists alike. We are calling for its expedited completion, and the Committee will be back here to see how far the directive of the House has been implemented,” MP Wanjala said.

The Jomvu Kuu-Jitoni-Rabai Road project began in 2023 and is being upgraded to bitumen standards.

The construction includes a 7-metre-wide carriageway, lined drains on both sides, and pedestrian walkways. Out of the total 11.7km stretch, 2.2km is yet to be completed.

The lawmakers also reviewed the Mombasa-Mariakani Dualling Project, which stretches into Kilifi County.

They were informed that compensation of affected landowners had stalled due to financial limitations and two court cases involving land claimants.

The project, measuring 11.9km, is jointly funded by the African Development Fund and the Government of Kenya, and is expected to be completed by September 2025.

The committee was briefed by Eng. Henry Gakuru, who represented the KENHA Director General, on the land acquisition process.

“A total of 618 No. PAPs were identified along the road from Mombasa to Mariakani with total compensation amount being KES 5,324,943,181.58. KENHA has transferred all the funds needed for compensation in the project to NLC for payments to PAP,” he said.

He pointed out that some of the delays were due to the submission of inactive bank account details by Project Affected Persons (PAPs), which led to failed transactions.

This prompted lawmakers to demand that both KENHA and the National Land Commission (NLC) appear before the committee to clarify the status of payments.

MPs Mark Mwenje and Memusi Kanchory raised concerns about the lack of transparency in the land compensation process, saying it could undermine public confidence.

The committee Chair agreed with their recommendation and issued a directive for both agencies to present a joint report to the committee.

Meanwhile, MP Cynthia Muge raised alarm over the large amounts of dust in the area due to stalled roadworks.

She warned that the dust posed a serious health risk, especially respiratory illnesses, and called on KeNHA to urgently manage the situation.

In conclusion, the Committee gave KeNHA a three-month deadline to complete the road projects and pledged to return for a follow-up inspection to assess the progress and enforcement of the House’s directive.