CS: Give 40pc of project jobs to local engineers
By KNA, June 16, 2023Roads and Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has proposed a review of procurement laws to introduce a provision where 40 per cent of all public-private partnership projects jobs go to local engineers.
Murkomen said this would ensure the engineers take part in the growth and development of the country’s economy by using their knowledge, skills, and new technologies to actualise the government agenda.
Addressing participants during the 4th Engineering Partnerships Conference in Naivasha, Murkomen said the profession holds the keys to unlocking and unleashing the potential of emerging technologies in the industry for the benefit of Kenyans.
The CS said his ministry had moved with speed to align its policies and programmes with sector targets including Sustainable Development Goals, Agenda 2063, Vision 2030, the Fourth Medium Term Plan (MTP IV) and the Bottom–Up Economic Transformation Agenda.
He said the Ministry was actively seeking to scale up the use of public-private partnerships financing for commercially viable projects including new highways, seaports and airports.
The Minister disclosed that in the road’s sub-sector alone, the government is undertaking projects portfolio valued at Sh700 billion which are geared towards reducing the cost and duration of travel across the country and the region.
Other projects being undertaken by the ministry are the modernization of the National Air Traffic Management System and disaster recovery centre for a total cost of Sh1.1 billion to be completed by 2026.
Murkomen said the government is also seeking funding for the extension of the Standard Gauge Railway to Malaba, construction of the Mombasa Malaba highway and the ongoing rehabilitation of the Metre Gauge Railway lines across the country.