The construction of the Kenol-Sagana-Marua Highway has faced significant delays due to land documentation and succession issues, slowing down the compensation process for affected individuals. Contractors involved in the project report that the lack of legitimate title deeds and unresolved succession matters has stalled payments, affecting the overall pace of the project.
The National Land Commission (NLC), responsible for acquiring land and compensating affected owners, has disbursed Ksh3.3 billion but still owes Ksh1.6 billion to some landowners due to unresolved ownership disputes. “The delay is because there are some issues in land documentation and succession problems. It took a long time for the land acquisition, but we are happy that we have completed 90 per cent of the work to date, and we plan to complete the whole project by January 2026,” one contractor said.
Despite these challenges, work has resumed on sections of the highway where land disputes have been resolved. James Nguyo, Deputy Engineer for Mau Mau roads, noted that the contractor has mobilized resources and is already working on multiple sections simultaneously. He added that seven kilometers of the highway are expected to be completed by December this year.
The delays come amid a broader national effort to revive stalled road projects. Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir recently announced that the government is working to rejuvenate over 580 road projects after settling outstanding payments to contractors. Speaking before the National Assembly on July 23, CS Chirchir revealed that 40 per cent of pending contractor payments have been released, with another 40 per cent expected soon.
Chirchir emphasized that the lack of liquidity was the primary reason many contractors halted work. “As a Ministry, we have eliminated the excuse of non-payment from contractors. We have now engaged regional engineers from all three road agencies to streamline project delivery and ensure there is value for money in all the road projects in the country,” he said.
The government has directed the Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KeRRA), Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA), and Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) to ensure proper implementation and management of the projects. While land disputes continue to pose challenges, authorities remain optimistic that the Kenol-Sagana-Marua Highway will be fully completed by January 2026.
