Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has warned contractors handling government projects that they risk arrest and prosecution if they fail to deliver work despite receiving public funds.
Kindiki said the government would not tolerate delays and shoddy work, citing projects in Tharaka Nithi County that had taken too long to complete despite contractors receiving their payments.
Speaking at Marimanti during the launch of the upgrading of the Marimanti-Kibung’a-Mukuyuni Road to bitumen standards, he warned contractors against frustrating the implementation of government projects.
“I cannot allow contractors who have been paid by the government only to do shoddy jobs,” Kindiki said.
“We will not tolerate lazy contractors and other conmen,” he added.
The Deputy President also directed government officers to strengthen supervision of infrastructure projects and ensure contractors complete the work within the agreed timelines.
He warned public officials against failing to monitor projects effectively, saying he expected them to have better information about developments on the ground.
“I am giving notice to government officials that I should not be having more information than officers on the ground,” he said.
Kindiki further warned contractors against receiving government money without delivering the agreed work, saying those found engaging in fraudulent practices would face prosecution.
“To the contractors, I am warning them today that they will be charged with obtaining money by false pretence because you cannot receive government money and not deliver,” he said.
The new road, which links Tharaka and Imenti Central constituencies, is expected to improve connectivity and mobility while supporting trade and development in the Mt Kenya region.
Kindiki assured residents that the contractor had been instructed to avoid unnecessary delays.
“The contractor is under firm instructions to do the job without unnecessary delays,” he said, adding, “We have just started; this is just the start.”
The Deputy President also reaffirmed the government's commitment to expanding development across the country, saying Tharaka Nithi had experienced marginalisation under successive governments.
He said the government had set aside Sh6 billion to upgrade about 515 kilometres of roads in the county to bitumen standards.
Kindiki also cited progress in electricity connectivity in Tharaka constituency, saying coverage had increased since President William Ruto took office in 2022.
“When President William Ruto was elected in 2022, only 11 per cent of households in Tharaka constituency had been connected with electricity. We have worked hard and pushed electricity connectivity to 40 per cent,” he said.
He noted that some constituencies had achieved electricity connectivity rates of 70 per cent and 90 per cent, expressing confidence that Tharaka would make further progress within the next one to two years.
Kindiki was accompanied by Tharaka MP Gitonga Murugara, Chuka/Igamba-Ng’ombe MP Patrick Munene, Principal Secretaries Alex Wachira and Betsy Njagi, Tharaka Nithi Woman Representative Susan Ngugi and several MCAs and grassroots leaders.
