Sh3.7bn taxpayer bill for Malaba rail link
Friday February 12 2021
Works during construction of phase 2 of the Standard gauge Railway in June 2018. PHOTO | FRANCIS NDERITU | NMG
By JOHN MUTUA
Summary
Taxpayers will foot a Sh3.7 billion bill for the construction of a line connecting the standard gauge railway (SGR) to the old track from Naivasha to the border town of Malaba.
A supplementary budget tabled in Parliament shows that Sh2.7 billion will be spent on the construction between Naivasha Internal container Depot (ICD) and the Longonot railway link.
A further Sh1 billion will fund the rehabilitation works of the century-old Longonot- Malaba metre gauge railway as Kenya seeks to create a seamless connection from the Port of Mombasa to Uganda.
A majority of State corporations and agencies have not honoured a directive by the Treasury to pay over Sh346.2 billion owed to suppliers and contractors.
THE STANDARD
MONEY & CAREERS
National Treasury CS Ukur Yatani (PHOTO: File)
NAIROBI, KENYA: National Treasury on Thursday said it has not disbursed funds to the counties for two months contradicting the Council of Governors.
Governors through Kakamega County boss Wycliffe Oparanya said the arrears spread out to four months of October, November, and December of last year and January this year.
In a statement, Treasury called on the county governments to utilise Sh34.6billion balance lying at the Central Bank of Kenya as it works on a plan to clear the two months arrears.
Cabinet Secretary Ukur Yatani of the National Treasury and Planning confirmed that it has so far transferred Sh133 billion to county governments for the Financial Year 2020/21. Of the transfers, Sh120.2 billion has been disbursed as part of the equitable share and Sh13 billion as conditional grants.