Casual workers to repair roads

The Standard
By Amos Kareithi

The Government has allocated Sh24 billion for the maintenance of 35,000kms of roads in a strategy that will involve rural-based contractors.

Roads and Public Works minister, Mr Simeon Nyachae, announced that the five-year strategy would employ rural people, out of which 30 per cent must be women to manually construct, repair and maintain roads

This would enable the Government to create at least 35,000 full time jobs annually in the next five years, said the minister.

While launching the ‘Roads 2000 Strategic Plan’ in Nairobi, Nyachae said the labour-based approach for road maintenance would be used from next year. "The strategy is sustainable since it will use local resources," he said.

He argued that this would also reduce unemployment and uplift standards of living. His assistant, Mr Joshua Toro, chided donors who pledge assistance but then insist on employing foreign contractors.

"You do not need a foreign consultant to oversee the grading of a road. If the ministry can spend Sh30 billion in construction and repair, why can’t you trust us with Sh20 million?" he wondered.

Nyachae defended the new method, which some leaders had dismissed as outdated. "When you use the big machinery to construct roads, the job is done quickly and millions of profit end up in a few people’s pockets," he said.

Constructors undertaking projects worth less than Sh5 million will be expected to employ manual labour. Toro said contractors would be trained on the use of local resources in constructing and maintaining roads.

Nyachae urged fellow MPs to support the strategy, arguing it would stop the youth from begging. He said by July last year, 350 small and medium contractors from over 50 districts had been trained in this new approach.

The minister said by discarding machines in favour of manual labour, the country would also save on foreign exchange. "We will not have to import equipment, spare parts and fuel," he said.

The strategy had been used during what was known as Rural Access Road Programme of the 1970s, in which 8,000Kms of roads were constructed.

In the new strategy, the Government hopes to put up 10,000kms of paved roads, routine maintenance of a further 20,000kms and spot improvement of 18,000kms.