NAKURU, Kenya – The High Court has frozen a Sh2.1 billion road maintenance agreement between Nakuru County and the National Youth Service (NYS), pending the determination of a petition challenging the legality of the deal.
Justice Julius Nangea on Monday issued conservatory orders suspending the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed on November 7, 2025, after petitioners Paul Muchiri and Kepha Omuyoma argued that the county entered the agreement without following procurement laws or conducting public participation.
The duo had asked the court to block the county from operationalising the deal or releasing any payments to NYS, insisting that the arrangement violated the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Act.
In his ruling, Justice Nangea certified the matter as urgent and ordered the county and NYS to file their responses within seven days.
The parties are expected to file and exchange submissions within 21 days ahead of the mention set for January 19, 2026.
Political Fallout in Nakuru
The court’s decision triggered immediate political reactions in Nakuru, with several leaders accusing Governor Susan Kihika’s administration of sidelining the County Assembly and breaching transparency requirements.
Naivasha East MCA Stanley Karanja welcomed the suspension, alleging that the executive had been coercing ward leaders to endorse what he termed a “questionable” deal.
Karanja questioned why the county turned to NYS for road works despite previous administrations acquiring road construction equipment that he claimed now lies idle.
He further faulted the county for ignoring procurement laws that reserve opportunities for youth, women and persons with disabilities, saying such groups were denied a fair chance to benefit from public contracts.
“We must rise to the occasion and perform our oversight duty. MCAs should not be intimidated by county officers who appear to benefit from this arrangement,” he said.
Edward Maina, another local leader, said the county failed to subject the MOU to mandatory public participation, denying residents a voice in a project that directly affects local infrastructure and spending.
The contested MOU is part of the county’s Imarisha Barabara programme, under which NYS was to maintain all feeder roads across Nakuru for the next year.
The deal was unveiled last week and immediately drew scrutiny from MCAs and civil society over its cost and the alleged bypassing of statutory processes.
The case is expected to set the stage for a protracted legal and political battle as the petitioners seek to nullify the multimillion-shilling agreement.
