President Uhuru Kenyatta is expected to visit the lower eastern counties of Makueni, Machakos and Kitui on July 5 and 6, 2021 to order government projects, including the Kibwezi-Kitui road of 18.4 billion shillings.

The road is expected to stimulate socio-economic development along the main international road which has been a sleeping giant.

The 192-kilometer highway opened up the Kitui Sud constituency that had no tarmac, 55 years after independence, following the launch of the project by President Uhuru Kenyatta in December 2016.

Speaking at the Kitui Multipurpose Hall at the County Development and Coordination Committee (CDICC) on Thursday, County Commissioner Thomas Sankei said the constituency has minerals including limestone and iron ore, it is a gateway to Tsavo East National Park, an agronomic potential as the longest tradition in the field of beekeeping, the planting of traditional crops resistant to drought and the management of livestock.

Sankei said the multibillion-dollar road project, which crosses eight other constituencies, begins at the junction of the Nairobi-Mombasa road near the town of Kibwezi, goes north through Ikutha, Mutomo, Kitui, Kabati to Migwani.

“Kenya has made considerable progress over the past two years on a development program designed to strengthen the country’s position as a leading regional transport and logistics center for the East African region. as part of the ‘Big Four’ program, ”the county commissioner said.

In its 2015 report, the World Bank noted that increased levels of infrastructure spending meant Kenya was “moving in the right direction” in terms of realizing its growth potential.

Nonetheless, the Bank called for greater efficiency and sustainability in the way investment campaigns are conducted, further emphasizing the need for increased support from the private sector.

The government’s long-term development plan, Vision 2030, which aims to elevate Kenya to middle-income country status over the next decade and help lift millions of Kenyans out of poverty.

Infrastructure development is at the heart of Vision 2030, with a multitude of large-scale transport projects in the rail, road and maritime segments expected to drive GDP growth.

It is envisaged that the road project will emerge as a resilient infrastructure that stimulates the economic development of the country and promotes regional integration.

The road is expected to provide an alternative route from the port of Mombasa to the lower and upper eastern regions and Ethiopia, thereby decongesting the Nairobi-Mombasa highway and improving the economic competitiveness of the lower eastern counties.

The road is part of the larger Mombasa-Addis Ababa transport corridor which connects the Mombasa-Nairobi (A8) highway to Kibwezi and the Nairobi-Addis Ababa (A2) highway to Isiolo.

This is a shorter alternative route to Moyale and ultimately Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

“Traffic to these areas from Mombasa will avoid going through Nairobi once the entire stretch to Isiolo via Mwingi and Mikinduri to join the Meru-Maua road at Muriri will be upgraded to asphalt,” a recent report said. published by the Kenya National Highways Authority. (KeNHA).

By Yobesh Onwong’a

President Uhuru Kenyattaroads