Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has issued a stern warning to contractors undertaking government-funded infrastructure projects, threatening legal action against those who delay construction, abandon works or deliver substandard roads despite receiving public money.
Kindiki said the government would no longer tolerate contractors who frustrate development programmes through poor workmanship, unnecessary delays and failure to meet contractual obligations, insisting that public funds must translate into tangible improvements in the lives of Kenyans.
Speaking in Marimanti, Tharaka Constituency, Tharaka Nithi County, on Saturday, the Deputy President said contractors who receive government payments without delivering on their obligations could face prosecution for obtaining money by false pretences.
“I cannot allow contractors who have been paid by the government only to do shoddy jobs. We will not tolerate lazy contractors and other conmen,” Kindiki said.
He warned that contractors who fail to execute their assignments would be held accountable, adding that government officers responsible for supervising projects must also strengthen oversight to ensure that public investments are completed within stipulated timelines.
“I am giving notice to government officials that I should not be having more information than officers on the ground,” he said.
The warning came as the government stepped up investment in roads, electricity and water infrastructure in Tharaka, a region Kindiki acknowledged had experienced years of marginalisation and inadequate public investment.
The Deputy President launched the upgrading of the 24-kilometre Marimanti-Kibung’a-Makandune-Mukuuni/Gacibi road, which links Tharaka and Imenti Central constituencies, in a project expected to improve transport, facilitate trade and strengthen economic connections within the Mount Kenya region.
He directed the relevant authorities to ensure that construction proceeds simultaneously from both the Marimanti and Mukuuni ends, saying the approach would promote equitable implementation and improve management of the project.
“The contractor is under firm instructions to do the job without unnecessary delays,” Kindiki said, assuring residents that the road marked the beginning of a wider programme of infrastructure development in the area.
He added: “We have just started, this is just the start.”
The project is among a broader package of road investments intended to improve connectivity in Tharaka Constituency and neighbouring areas, where poor transport infrastructure has long affected movement of people and goods.
Kindiki said the government had released Sh6 billion for the tarmacking of an additional 90 kilometres of roads in Tharaka Constituency, building on works undertaken during the previous year.
He said Sh3.3 billion had been deployed last year towards tarmacking 30 kilometres of roads, of which 24 kilometres had been completed with a bitumen surface.
The new allocation is expected to accelerate the upgrading of roads that connect rural settlements, trading centres and agricultural production areas to markets and essential services.
In a separate announcement at Mureo Mburaga, also in Tharaka Constituency, Kindiki said the government would expand and rehabilitate the dilapidated 40-kilometre Chiakariga-Marimanti-Gatunga road under a new Sh1.2 billion contract.
Early works on the most damaged sections have commenced, including construction of a new Thingithu Bridge to address safety concerns affecting motorists and other road users.
Kindiki inspected the ongoing preliminary works and directed roads authorities to ensure that construction meets the required quality standards and is completed within the agreed timelines.
He also urged contractors and implementing agencies to prioritise employment opportunities for young people from the local community, saying infrastructure investments should provide both improved public services and economic opportunities for residents.
The government has also identified a wider network of roads for upgrading across the region. Kindiki said 515 kilometres had been prioritised for tarmacking at an estimated cost of Sh35 billion.
The proposed works are expected to improve access between rural communities, administrative centres and commercial hubs, while reducing transport difficulties for farmers, traders and other businesses.
However, the Deputy President’s remarks on road allocations included different project packages and funding commitments, with the Sh6 billion announcement relating to additional works in Tharaka Constituency and the wider road programme covering a broader network.
Beyond roads, Kindiki identified electricity connectivity as another priority in the government’s development agenda for Tharaka, where access to reliable power remains a challenge for many households and businesses.
He said that when President William Ruto took office in 2022, only 11 per cent of households in Tharaka Constituency were connected to electricity.
The figure has since risen to 40 per cent, according to the Deputy President, who attributed the increase to government interventions aimed at extending power infrastructure to underserved communities.
The government has released Sh685 million towards expanding electricity connections, with a target of increasing household connectivity to 75 per cent within a year.
Kindiki said additional resources would be provided to raise access to 100 per cent within two years.
He acknowledged that the constituency remained behind other areas where electricity connectivity had reached 70 or even 90 per cent, but assured residents that the government intended to narrow the gap.
“Some constituencies are at 70 per cent while others are at 90 per cent, but we will also get there in the next one two years,” he said.
Improved access to electricity is expected to support small enterprises, improve household welfare and create opportunities for businesses that depend on reliable power to operate and expand.
For a region seeking to strengthen its economic base, wider electricity coverage could also support agro processing, retail businesses and other commercial activities that require dependable energy.
Kindiki also identified water as a critical development priority, saying the government was pursuing both immediate interventions and long term infrastructure solutions to address shortages affecting households and agricultural activities.
He said several small scale projects targeting drinking water and irrigation were being implemented, but argued that a lasting solution would require investment in major dams.
Such projects, he said, were being developed under the newly established National Infrastructure Fund, which is expected to support large scale infrastructure investments.
Kindiki said a major intervention to address the region’s water challenges would be ready in the coming months, although he did not provide further details on the project, its location or the expected cost.
Reliable water supplies remain important for households, livestock keeping and crop production in the region, where access to irrigation could help farmers reduce dependence on rainfall and improve agricultural productivity.
The proposed investments in roads, electricity and water are intended to address interconnected development challenges that have constrained economic growth and access to essential services in Tharaka.
Better roads would ease the movement of agricultural produce and other goods, electricity would support businesses and value addition, while improved water infrastructure could strengthen farming and household livelihoods.
Kindiki’s warning to contractors was accompanied by a demand for greater accountability among public officers tasked with implementing and monitoring government projects.
He said officials on the ground should be fully aware of the progress of projects under their supervision and should not wait for senior leaders to identify delays or irregularities.
The Deputy President warned that weak supervision could allow contractors to continue receiving public funds without delivering the expected results.
He said the government would take action against individuals who undermine the implementation of development projects, stressing that the administration was determined to ensure public expenditure produces measurable benefits.
The remarks signal increased pressure on contractors and government agencies to demonstrate progress on projects that have faced delays or concerns over quality.
For residents, the key test will be whether the announced allocations translate into completed roads, reliable electricity connections and sustainable water supplies.
Kindiki was accompanied by Tharaka MP Gitonga Murugara, Chuka/Igamba-Ng’ombe MP Patrick Munene, Principal Secretary for Energy Alex Wachira, Principal Secretary for the Blue Economy Betsy Njagi, Tharaka Nithi Woman Representative Susan Ngugi and several Members of the County Assembly.
The delegation also included county and grassroots leaders, among them Majority Leader Justin Kithinji, as well as professionals and local opinion shapers.
The leaders joined the Deputy President in assessing infrastructure priorities and communicating the government’s development commitments to residents.
Kindiki reaffirmed the administration’s intention to spread development more evenly across the country, saying areas that had historically received inadequate investment would be included in ongoing infrastructure programmes.
For Tharaka, the focus on roads, electricity and water represents an effort to address basic infrastructure gaps while laying the foundation for stronger economic activity.
But with substantial public funds committed to the projects, the Deputy President’s warning places contractors and supervising agencies under renewed pressure to deliver work that meets the required standards, is completed on time and responds to the needs of local communities.
