State introduces extra hurdle to weed out rogue contractors
Construction of the Nairobi Expressway at the Bellevue junction along Mombasa Road as pictured on November 11, 2020.
What you need to know:
- The directive is aimed at dealing with rogue contractors and ensure quality construction and maintenance of roads countrywide.
- Engineer Nabende said students will be trained on how to integrate innovation and modern technology in construction works.
All road contractors eyeing tenders will be required to have a certificate from Kenya Institute of Highways and Buildings Technology (KIHBT) as one of the qualifications, the government has directed.
The directive is aimed at dealing with rogue contractors and ensure there is quality construction and maintenance of roads countrywide.
KIHBT director Maurice Nabende appealed to contractors to enrol in the institution so as to acquire adequate skills and deliver quality construction work.
The institution opened its campus in Gachuiro Village in Umande Ward, Laikipia County, to serve students from Central, Eastern and Rift Valley regions.
Engineer Nabende said students will be trained on how to integrate innovation and modern technology in construction works.
He said contractors must acquire skills on performance-based contracting for road maintenance.
"It will be a requirement that for contractors to win tenders from government road agencies to conduct road maintenance,they will have to qualify with a certificate from KIHBT. This will give the standards on how to put our roads in the required levels of performance," Mr Nabende said.
"We will be training contractors on the standards and concepts which are applied in development and maintenance of roads. This being a national institution, we want to expand our horizons to cover all parts of the country,."
Labour imports
The director said the institution aims at equipping youths with skills on road construction to curb importation of skilled labour from other countries.
"Nowadays, you will hardly find our youths participating in most road contracts taking place in the country because they lack skills. Most of the labour required is imported from other countries,'' he said.
The Laikipia county government donated five acres of land for the training centre.
Laikipia Governor Ndiritu Muriithi said training on labour-based technology in the construction industry will immensely spur the country's economy.
"This centre will provide training for thousands of youths and contractors so that they acquire the necessary skills to build roads using labour-based technology" Mr Muriithi said.
"We also want our contractors to understand that the non-motorised traffic is higher and should be considered in terms of conducive walkways," he said.
