Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has stepped up pressure for faster implementation of major infrastructure projects in Murang’a County, saying the Government’s development programme will be delivered across the country “step by step, word by word, page by page”.
Prof. Kindiki made the remarks on Wednesday during an inspection of development projects in Maragua Constituency, where he toured the construction of the new Gakoigo Stadium and the upgrading of the Mbombo–Gwa Thamaki road before addressing residents at Kigoro.
The projects are part of a wider infrastructure programme that the Government says is intended to improve transport, agriculture, trade, sports and employment opportunities in the county.
At Kigoro, the Deputy President said the Government was implementing projects covering roads, electricity, markets, affordable housing, student accommodation, digital infrastructure and health facilities.
He said the road programme in Murang’a was expected to see about 1,200 kilometres of roads upgraded to bitumen standard at a projected cost of Sh56 billion.
The road expansion, he said, would open up agricultural areas, reduce transport costs and improve access to markets for farmers and traders.
Kindiki also pointed to changes in the agricultural sector, citing higher returns from key cash and food enterprises as evidence of improved earnings for farmers.
According to figures presented by the Government, the price of coffee cherry has risen from about Sh50 to Sh130 a kilogramme, while milk prices have increased from Sh35 to Sh50 a litre. Farmers growing avocado are also reported to be earning better returns.
The administration has further highlighted its fertiliser subsidy, with the price of a 50 kilogramme bag cited as having fallen from about Sh7,000 to Sh2,000.
Certified maize seed prices, according to the Government, have been reduced by half, from Sh300 to Sh150 a kilogramme, while the cost of sexed semen for dairy artificial insemination has fallen from about Sh8,000 to Sh1,400 a dose.
The measures are aimed at lowering production costs and increasing farmers’ margins at a time when agriculture remains central to the economies of Murang’a and other parts of the Central region.
Kindiki urged farmers to take advantage of the onset of the rains to increase food production.
He also called on residents to heed warnings from authorities on flooding, landslides, mudslides and other weather related hazards.
Sports infrastructure is another major component of the Government’s investment programme in the county.
Kindiki inspected the Gakoigo Stadium, a 10,000 capacity facility being constructed in the Samar area of Maragua.
The Deputy President put the project cost at Sh900 million. Earlier Government reports have cited different figures, including Sh850 million, while official project information has consistently placed the facility among the major sports infrastructure investments in Murang’a.
The stadium is expected to include a football pitch, athletics track, changing rooms, spectator terraces, parking and other facilities designed to accommodate major sporting events.
The original Gakoigo grounds are also expected to be retained and rehabilitated as a training facility and venue for community and mid-level competitions after the main stadium project was relocated to Samar because the original site was considered unsuitable for a 10,000-seater international-standard facility.
Another Sh900 million stadium is being developed in Kiharu Constituency, according to the Deputy President, putting the combined value of the two projects at about Sh1.8 billion.
Kindiki said the Government had promised the Gakoigo facility before the 2022 General Election and was now delivering on that commitment.
“We promised construction of the stadium when we held the Murang’a County Economic Forum at the site before the last elections. It is now ongoing. We promised and we are delivering it,” he said.
The Gakoigo project is part of a national programme involving 32 stadiums at various stages of development.
At Mbombo, Kindiki inspected works on the long awaited road linking Gwa Thamaki, Maragua Ridge and Mbombo.
The 16 kilometre project has been allocated Sh1.1 billion, according to the Government.
Tender documents from the Kenya Rural Roads Authority confirm a 16-kilometre road package covering sections between Gwa Thamaki, Maragua Ridge and Mbombo, as well as connecting sections towards Mesco and Samar. The works include earthworks, pavement construction, drainage structures and an asphalt concrete wearing course.
The road cuts through areas including Kigoro, Matanya, Mung’etho, Muchagara and Kiambaa and is expected to improve access to markets and services across Maragua Ridge.
For residents who have for years endured difficult road conditions, construction of the highway marks a major shift in the area’s transport prospects.
The project is also expected to create temporary employment for young people and opportunities for drivers, surveyors, suppliers and local businesses dealing in construction materials.
Kindiki challenged the contractor to complete the road within one year.
“This road must be completed in under one year. I will consult with the concerned Ministry to ensure this road is completed in record time,” he said.
Beyond roads and sports, the Deputy President said the Government was implementing 27 modern markets in Murang’a, alongside affordable housing schemes, electricity expansion and other infrastructure projects.
Last mile electricity connections are continuing in various parts of the county, while fresh-produce markets and ICT hubs are being developed to expand opportunities for young people in the digital economy.
The Government is also supporting student accommodation projects and the equipping of health facilities through the National Equipment Support Programme.
Kindiki said the projects formed part of a broader effort to spread development beyond major urban centres.
“We are working hard to ensure every part of Kenya gets developed,” he said.
The Deputy President also used the meeting to call for political tolerance, telling residents that they were free to support political leaders of their choice but should reject violence and destruction of property.
His remarks came as local leaders publicly backed his calls for unity in the Mt Kenya region.
Maragua MP Mary Wamaua, Kangema MP Peter Kihungi and nominated MP Sabina Chege were among leaders accompanying the Deputy President.
Kihungi praised Kindiki for what he described as his efforts to maintain unity in the region, while Chege expressed support for his leadership.
Kindiki said political competition should not be allowed to degenerate into conflict.
“It is okay to choose whoever you want to support because it is your right. But we will not allow violence to rein in the region,” he said.
He added that residents should not allow political differences to destroy communities or property.
Kindiki framed the projects as part of the Kenya Kwanza administration’s manifesto commitments, saying implementation was being tracked against the promises made to voters.
“I look at the progress of implementing the manifesto every day, page by page, because I know what is in it. I was the one who wrote it,” he said.
He said the administration intended to complete its development programme and maintained that all counties were benefiting from major Government projects.
For Murang’a, the immediate test will be whether the projects now under construction, particularly the roads and stadiums are completed within the timelines given and deliver the economic benefits promised to residents.
The road and infrastructure push comes as the county continues to depend heavily on agriculture, making transport links, farm inputs, market access and reliable infrastructure central to the economic fortunes of thousands of households.
