NAIROBI, Kenya — Former Public Service Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria has attributed the apparent stalling of a road project in Ol Kalou Constituency to the withdrawal of a Chinese contractor who, he said, raised concerns over insecurity following the July 16 by-election.
Kuria said the contractor working on the Ithagani-Gorika-Kanyarere Road had withdrawn construction equipment from the area after supporters of the newly elected MP allegedly pulled down project signage, an incident that reportedly left the contractor and his workers feeling threatened.
Speaking during an interview on Citizen TV on Sunday, August 9, Kuria said he had promised residents that government projects initiated in Ol Kalou would continue regardless of the outcome of the by-election.
“Because I got reports, I promised the people of Ol Kalou that, irrespective of the decision that they took on July 16, every other development project that was going on there will be completed. And I’m very much committed to that,” Kuria said.
He, however, said he later received information that the road contractor, whom he identified as Cheng Li, had withdrawn equipment because of what he described as perceived insecurity.
“And then I got this report that from the road contractor, a guy called Cheng Li, Chinese guy, that he’s withdrawn the equipment for one road, one of the roads I’m very proud of, called Ithagani-Gorika-Kanyarere Road, because of perceived insecurity,” he said.
Kuria alleged that supporters of Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) candidate Sammy Waweru Ngotho removed signage at the project site after their candidate won the election.
“And because the guy won, his supporters went and put down even the signage that was there for the roads. And of course, the contractor and their staff, they felt threatened and they have pulled back,” Kuria said.
The former Cabinet Secretary described the development as unfortunate, arguing that government projects should benefit residents irrespective of their political affiliations.
He said roads, electricity and other development projects should not become casualties of political competition, adding that residents generally welcome infrastructure improvements regardless of which party wins an election.
Ol Kalou political fallout
Kuria’s remarks come less than a month after the closely contested Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election, which became a major political test between President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA) and the opposition-aligned DCP associated with former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
DCP candidate Sammy Waweru Ngotho defeated UDA’s Samwel Muchina Nyagah, securing a decisive victory in the July 16 poll.
The election was preceded by an intensive campaign in which the government highlighted a series of development projects in the constituency, including roads, affordable housing, university infrastructure, hostels and other initiatives.
The scale of government activity in Ol Kalou during the campaign period subsequently became a subject of political debate, particularly after the UDA candidate’s defeat.
Kuria, who had been closely associated with the government’s development push in the constituency, has maintained that projects should continue despite the electoral outcome.
His latest remarks, however, suggest that political tensions surrounding the election could have practical consequences for some projects if contractors and workers feel unsafe operating in the area.
