State House Spokesperson Hussein Mohamed has publicly criticized lawyer and activist Morara Kebaso for allegedly misrepresenting facts about stalled government projects. The dispute centers around a road project in Kisii County that Kebaso claimed President William Ruto had relaunched, despite its initial launch by former President Uhuru Kenyatta in 2016.
In a strongly worded statement, Mohamed accused Kebaso of misleading the public. He clarified that the 64.6 km road, which spans Kitutu Chache North and South constituencies, was first awarded on May 11, 2016, and work commenced on August 5, 2016. However, the project faced delays due to the contractor’s poor performance, leading to the termination of the contract on May 16, 2023, after only 27 km had been completed.
“The project was re-tendered and awarded on March 14, 2024, with construction resuming on June 22, 2024,” Mohamed stated. He emphasized that President Ruto’s involvement was to officially relaunch the project under the new contract, which has a 42-month completion period followed by a 36-month maintenance phase.
Mohamed criticized the focus on the ceremonial aspect of the project launch, urging Kebaso and the public to pay attention to the ongoing work rather than the symbolic plaques. “You should’ve gone to the Kegogi-Sombogo-Marani-Ititi section where works are ongoing,” he added.
Kebaso, who has been inspecting various stalled government projects, recently announced his intention to focus on governance full-time. He plans to establish an office dedicated to providing civic education, particularly in underserved areas. Kebaso stated that his new mission is to hold the government accountable and ensure transparency in the execution of public projects.
Expressing his commitment, Kebaso mentioned that his office would conduct thorough research on government projects and keep the public informed about their progress. He also thanked Kenyans who have supported his efforts, particularly those who contributed to his fuel expenses for these inspections.
