The Government has unveiled a Sh39 billion road construction programme in Meru County, signalling a major infrastructure push aimed at opening up rural areas, cutting transport costs and unlocking the county’s agricultural and commercial potential.
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki said nearly 500 kilometres of roads across the county are being tarmacked, with several projects that residents have pursued for years now under construction or at various stages of implementation.
Among them is the Kionyo-Kanyakine-Muti O’Kiama-Kithaka Naro-Mitunguu road in Imenti South Constituency, where works have recently commenced.
Prof Kindiki, who inspected the project on Friday, said the Government had secured funding and engaged a contractor to undertake the road, expressing confidence that the project would be completed.
“We have sought this road for a very long time. I have seen that it is progressing well, it has started well, it is progressing well and we have a good contractor. This contractor will deliver,” he said.
He said the Government would implement Meru’s infrastructure projects progressively, depending on available resources.
“We will do all the roads one at a time, step by step. Rome was not built in a day,” Prof Kindiki said.
The road programme extends beyond Imenti South, with projects planned or underway across the county’s constituencies. The Government says the network will improve the movement of people and agricultural produce, reduce the cost of accessing markets and services, and stimulate local economies.
In Tigania West, the 30-kilometre Kunene-St Anne-Kamaroo-Kagaene-Kiorimba-Machegene-Miomponi road is among the projects expected to transform connectivity between Meru and neighbouring Tharaka in Tharaka Nithi County.
The road has been prioritised for decades but had not been actualised. Its upgrade is expected to strengthen cross-county trade and give farmers better access to markets.
The Meru road programme forms part of a broader national infrastructure recovery after the Government cleared contractor bills totalling Sh177 billion, paving the way for the resumption of works on about 6,000 kilometres of stalled roads across the country.
Prof Kindiki said the Government was now shifting its attention towards infrastructure expansion after stabilising the country’s macroeconomic framework.
In Meru Town, 17 kilometres of roads are set for an upgrade at a cost of Sh3.7 billion, with funding and a contractor already in place. The works are part of efforts to improve urban infrastructure as the municipality pursues city status.
Road improvement projects are also underway or planned in other urban centres, including Nkubu, Mitunguu, Maua, Kianjai and Timau.
The Government is linking the infrastructure programme to agriculture, which remains a key pillar of Meru’s economy.
Prof Kindiki said better roads would allow farmers to move produce more efficiently, access markets at lower cost and improve household incomes.
The Government is also rolling out 21 fresh produce markets in the county, including the Gakoromoni market, alongside investments in water and sewerage infrastructure.
The infrastructure drive comes as farmers receive reduced prices for key agricultural inputs.
The price of a 50-kilogramme bag of subsidised fertiliser has fallen to Sh2,000 from Sh7,000 in 2022, while the price of certified maize seed has been cut by half.
A kilogramme of certified maize seed now costs Sh150, down from Sh300. A two-kilogramme pack costs Sh300, while 10kg and 25kg packs retail at Sh1,500 and Sh3,750 respectively.
The Government has said the seed subsidy will target about 40 million kilogrammes and represents an estimated Sh6 billion investment intended to lower production costs and raise farmer incomes.
Beyond roads and agriculture, Prof Kindiki said the Government was pursuing a wider development programme in Meru covering electricity, healthcare, education and social services.
Last-mile electricity projects are expected to connect an additional 27,000 households, while teacher and Community Health Promoter recruitment, construction of classrooms and laboratories, expansion of technical education and increased access to healthcare through the Social Health Authority are also being implemented.
Construction of facilities to upgrade Meru Level Five Hospital to a Level Six National Teaching and Referral Hospital is about 70 per cent complete, according to the Government.
The projects, officials say, are intended to provide infrastructure capable of supporting Meru’s growing population and strengthening the county’s role as a regional economic and service hub.
Prof Kindiki urged political leaders to focus on projects with long-term economic and social value rather than short-term political considerations.
“Development is for generations. This road is not for UDA. This road is not for us who are here. After 100 years, this road will still be serving the people of this area, our children and our grandchildren,” he said.
He also credited citizens and local leaders for pushing the Government to prioritise projects that address longstanding needs.
“There is no leader who can bring development alone. He is assisted by his seniors, he is assisted by his juniors, he is assisted by the citizens,” he said.
For Meru residents, the road projects represent more than improved transport. In a county where agriculture drives thousands of household incomes, the Government’s infrastructure strategy is designed to reduce the distance between farms and markets, lower the cost of doing business and create stronger links between rural production centres and urban markets.
If delivered as planned, the Sh39 billion programme could mark one of the most significant infrastructure investments in the county in decades, while connecting previously underserved communities to markets, health facilities, schools and other essential services.
