Cyprian Is Nyakundi has once again exposed a major scandal involving corruption, tax evasion, and labour exploitation in the construction of the Athi River–Junction dual carriageway.
The project, which has dragged on for over a decade under China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC), has been plagued with delays, and whistleblowers are now revealing the real reasons behind this stagnation.
At the centre of the controversy is a Chinese national known as Lee, who is accused of abandoning the project’s completion to engage in local business deals, bribery, and tax evasion while workers suffer under poor conditions.
According to sources who reached out to Nyakundi, Lee has completely derailed the progress of the highway, choosing instead to focus on personal ventures. Despite CRCC being contracted to complete the road, Lee is more interested in making money through local jobs and brokerage, ignoring his main responsibility.
As a result, key infrastructure like footbridges remains incomplete and dangerous for both pedestrians and motorists. Instead of ensuring the safety of road users, he has turned his attention to accumulating wealth, allegedly with the help of corrupt officials in the county and law enforcement.
Whistleblowers have further alleged that Lee enjoys protection from high-ranking government officials, including the Athi River police boss and the county governor. It is claimed that the governor has been receiving bribes from him in exchange for ignoring his illegal activities.
Despite operating multiple businesses and a quarry in the area, Lee does not pay the required national or county taxes. He has allegedly managed to avoid paying licence fees and cess charges, creating an unfair business environment for local contractors who are struggling to comply with the law.
While genuine businesses are burdened with taxation, Lee continues to operate freely, taking advantage of loopholes facilitated by corruption.
Residents and construction workers have also raised concerns over the poor wages paid to local employees under Lee’s management. Workers are reportedly underpaid and forced to endure terrible working conditions while the Chinese businessman focuses on making profits.
The situation is worsened by the fact that he has taken over public roads around his quarry, blocking access and inconveniencing both motorists and pedestrians. This has led to complaints that he is behaving like a coloniser in the Athi River area, disregarding both labour laws and public safety regulations.
Those who have exposed this scandal are now calling for urgent government intervention to investigate and take action against Lee and his corrupt associates. They are demanding a full audit of CRCC’s contractual compliance and a probe into the alleged bribery involving law enforcement and county officials.
They want the government to ensure that local contractors are given fair business opportunities instead of being pushed out by tax-evading foreigners.
Additionally, they insist that all blocked public roads around the quarry be reopened immediately to allow free movement for residents. Despite the growing outcry, there has been no official response from the authorities. The exposure by Cyprian Is Nyakundi, however, is expected to pile pressure on the government to act before the situation gets worse.
The public now awaits to see if the government will finally take action or continue turning a blind eye to the scandal.
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