Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad hits out at State over withheld road funds
The standoff comes as Mombasa battles collapsing infrastructure, with roads becoming nearly impassable during the rainy season.
Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir has challenged the national government over its control of road levy funds, accusing it of ignoring the plight of county residents who are suffering due to deteriorating infrastructure.
Governor Abdulswamad argued that it was unjust for officials based in Nairobi, with limited understanding of local needs, to manage billions intended for county road maintenance.
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His remarks come amid escalating tensions between President William Ruto and county governors over the Roads Maintenance Levy Fund (RMLF).
President Ruto has maintained that the national government will continue managing the funds directly, urging governors to abandon their push to take charge of the monies.
His firm stance has reignited debate with opposition leader Raila Odinga, who insists that roads are a devolved function and that counties should be entrusted with the associated funding.
In Mombasa, residents are grappling with worsening road conditions, exacerbated by poor drainage and persistent heavy rains. Governor Abdulswamad questioned why the national government continued to retain control of the funds while counties such as Mombasa face daily challenges.
“Why should the national government hold onto the money? How can someone who doesn’t even know Mombasa decide how it’s spent?” the governor asked.
He criticised the practice of keeping millions tied up in Nairobi while local communities endure impassable roads and frequent flooding. He also noted that, although counties are often blamed for poor infrastructure, it is national agencies like the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) and the Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA) that are mandated to handle major roadworks.
“Nobody knows the Director General of KeNHA or KURA. I’m the one who gets blamed,” he said.
Frustrated by the situation, Abdulswamad revealed that his administration had reached out to the national government, expressing willingness to take on road repairs themselves if the state agencies failed to deliver.
“We’re the ones who wear the shoe and know where it pinches,” he stated, insisting it was unfair to withhold critical funds from counties while residents continued to suffer.
The standoff comes as Mombasa battles collapsing infrastructure, with roads becoming nearly impassable during the rainy season.
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