Construction works on the multi-billion Eldoret bypass are nearing completion.
Uasin Gishu County Commissioner Stephen Kihara says currently, 92 percent of the works on the project jointly being funded by the African Development Bank and the Government of Kenya have been completed.
Kihara in a media briefing in Eldoret says the remaining 8 percent are minor works.
“The remaining part is for the road furniture, road marking, and the final black top,” said the County Commissioner on Tuesday, June 21, 2022.
Construction works on the Eldoret bypass were launched in 2017 by President Uhuru Kenyatta.
The Ksh6 billion project has had numerous delays due to rows over the compensation of land owners.
Active court cases over land ownership have also been cited as some of the causes of the delays.
But according to Kihara, all the money meant for compensation of persons affected by the project is available and will be paid by the National Lands Commission (NLC) once the land disputes are resolved.
Among the ongoing court cases for the land on the bypass route is for a section of Sirikwa Squatters.
“From kilometer 32 to Kapseret, we had few issues, but from Kapseret to kilometer zero at Maili Tisa, we had challenges because of land ownership,” said the County Commissioner.
“Over Ksh4 billion was set aside for the compensation but the biggest challenge is ownership and family disputes. NLC has all the money and once the family disputes and court cases are concluded, the affected persons will be paid,” he added.
The 32-kilometer Eldoret bypass starts at Cheplaskei on the Eldoret-Nakuru Highway through Kapseret, along the Eldoret-Kapsabet road, and ends at Maili Tisa on the Eldoret-Malaba highway.
It was meant to help address regular traffic jams within Eldoret town by diverting numerous long-distance lorries that transport cargos from Mombasa port to neighboring countries
