Road
Leaders from Kinna, Duse and Garbatulla have appealed to the government to pay the contractor for the Kiutene-Garbatula road project so that over 300 workers could get their salaries. According to the Star of Hope Charitable Association, 300 workers were yet to be paid seven-months’ salary and allowances and the contractor’s property was threatened since the bank that had advanced him a loan was about to auction his assets.
Speaking at Duse, Kinna and Garbatula in Isiolo South Constituency, the leaders said the owner of Samow Construction Company was likely to lose his Nairobi house to a bank following auctioneering notice and his workers were also demanding the dues.
Completed section of Kiutine – Garbatulla road
The Star of Hope Upper Eastern Assistant Director Hajj Boru Dida and Duse location youth chairman Abdikadir Ali said that contractor had been suffering a lot where over 10 water bowsers, 12 caterpillar graders, bulldozers and 20 other vehicles were lying idle at Duse construction site and cannot move due to lack of spare parts and tyres.
He appealed to Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen to help the contractor get his money so that the bank would stop its intention to auction his residential house in Nairobi among other assets.
The youth leader said the contractor used to pay for Islamic Madrassa teachers who have children in secondary schools but they now only depend on weekly collection from parents of the Madrassa learners. Ali said that wananchi were now suffering and appealed to CS to consider paying Samow Contractors Ltd his dues so that the project does not close doors.
Duse site manager Mr. Kulow Abdirahman Yusuf said that the road project that started in 2018 and ended in 2023 September and no payments were made and the work was completed in time. He further said the company might collapse if immediate action was not taken and appealed to the State Department of Roads to consider paying them in the next financial year.