Tharaka Nithi Governor Muthomi Njuki has criticised Members of Parliament (MPs) for their stance on the Sh10.5 billion Road Maintenance Levy Fund (RMLF), warning that the ongoing dispute could result in huge financial loss to the country. Mr Njuki expressed concern that the dispute over the road levy could put several other essential funds at risk.
He noted that the ongoing court case over the RMLF is halting the disbursement of many critical funds, including the Sh9.5 billion Emergency Locust Response Programme from the World Bank, where Tharaka Nithi stands to lose Sh55 million in three months if the situation is not resolved.
Governor Njuki accused the MPs of misleading the public by claiming that they were going to give billions of shillings to the Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KERRA) for road development. He claimed that MPs control these funds through their constituency road boards, where they have significant influence.
"Kenyans stand to lose even more funds due to this ongoing battle," Njuki said, adding that there was potential loss of Sh34.5 billion allocated under the NAVCPD, which is currently benefiting 33 counties.
The governor was speaking at his official residence in Ruguri, Chuka/Igambang'ombe Constituency, during the launch of the National Agricultural Value Chain Development Project (NAVCDP).
He added that the law must be amended to separate the management of local and international funds to prevent local political disagreements from jeopardising national resources.
“It’s high time we separate management of local and international conditional grants,” he stated. “This will protect vital funds that benefit our people from being caught up in local political squabbles.”
The county boss also took issue with comments made by National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah, who claimed that counties do not tarmac roads. The governor defended his administration's record on road development, citing the tarmacking of nearly 100 kilometres of roads, including Mitheru-Kaanwa, Chogoria town, Kibugua market, Kathwana town and Tunyai-Nthaara, which has stalled due to lack of funds.
The governor also refuted claims by MPs that governors are corrupt. He pointed out that county leaders regularly appear before parliamentary committees to answer audit questions, unlike MPs, who he said are not held accountable for their own actions.
“The MPs are not in possession of the facts, and they need to understand that it is the ordinary Kenyans who suffer due to poor roads,” Mr Njuki said. “For Tharaka Nithi County, we’ve already lost Sh320 million in road maintenance funds, and this is why some roads remain in poor condition.”
