Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has announced an ambitious Sh45 billion road programme in Nyeri County, with the Government targeting the tarmacking of 775 kilometres of roads across the six constituencies.
Prof Kindiki said the programme was part of efforts to revive stalled infrastructure projects and improve connectivity between farms, markets, institutions and urban centres.
Speaking at Ihururu Shopping Centre in Tetu Constituency on Thursday, the Deputy President said the Government had resumed work on projects that stalled after the Covid-19 pandemic disrupted public finances.
He said the State had cleared Sh177 billion owed to road contractors, enabling construction to resume on more than 6,000 kilometres of roads countrywide.
“Now that the economy has started showing signs of stabilisation, we have resources to continue with those projects,” Prof Kindiki said.
He was inspecting the ongoing Mau Mau Lot 3 road network in Tetu, where he visited sections of the Ihururu Junction-Kanjora-Dedan Kimathi University-Maiguyuini road and the Ihururu Junction-Njoguini-Kahigaini route.
The Tetu network covers 133 kilometres, with the Government putting completion of the remaining works within the next year.
The roads were initiated during the administration of retired President Uhuru Kenyatta but stalled after the economic disruption caused by the pandemic.
The Deputy President said the Government was determined to complete the projects rather than allow them to become another burden on taxpayers.
The latest inspection comes days after Prof Kindiki toured development projects in Mathira, where he also warned contractors against delaying Government projects after receiving payment.
Prof Kindiki said completion of the Mau Mau roads would have an economic impact beyond transportation, particularly for farmers producing tea, coffee and milk.
Tetu and neighbouring areas are major agricultural zones, while the road network also serves tourist and historical sites, including the Dedan Kimathi Memorial Site.
The Deputy President said improved roads would make it easier to transport farm produce to markets while opening up areas that have remained difficult to access.
“We are witnessing the transformation of Kenya, step by step, project by project,” he said.
He said the Government wanted the road programme to provide a foundation for broader economic activity, including trade, tourism and agriculture.
The Mau Mau road programme also carries historical significance for Tetu, the home area of Field Marshal Dedan Kimathi, one of the prominent leaders of Kenya’s independence struggle.
Prof Kindiki said the country needed to honour Kimathi more profoundly because of his contribution to the liberation struggle.
The Government’s plan to tarmac 775 kilometres in Nyeri is spread across Tetu, Mathira, Nyeri Town, Kieni, Othaya and Mukurwe-ini constituencies. The programme is estimated at Sh45 billion.
Away from infrastructure, Prof Kindiki outlined a series of measures he said were aimed at reducing production costs and increasing earnings for farmers.
He said the Government had reduced the subsidised fertiliser price from Sh2,500 to Sh2,000 per 50-kilogramme bag, while the price of certified maize seed had also been reduced.
A two kilogramme packet of maize seed, he said, would now cost Sh300, down from Sh600, while a one kilogramme packet would retail at Sh150.
The Deputy President also said the price of cattle semen had been reduced from Sh8,000 to Sh1,400 per dose to encourage farmers to adopt artificial insemination and improve dairy production.
He said milk prices had risen from about Sh33-Sh35 per kilogramme to Sh50, while coffee farmers had also seen a significant increase in earnings.
According to Prof Kindiki, coffee that was fetching between Sh50 and Sh60 per kilogramme four years ago was now earning farmers between Sh120 and Sh140.
The Government, he said, was also supplying milk coolers to cooperatives in Nyeri to reduce losses arising from spoilage and improve farmers’ bargaining position.
The measures, he said, were intended to put more money into the pockets of farmers while lowering the cost of agricultural production.
Prof Kindiki also highlighted major investments in the county’s health infrastructure.
He said Sh1 billion had been allocated to upgrade Nyeri Provincial General Hospital, with a contractor already on site.
Another Sh1 billion is being spent on the Mwai Kibaki Teaching and Referral Hospital in Othaya, which the Government is upgrading to Level Six status.
The facility is expected to provide specialised treatment for patients from Nyeri and neighbouring counties, reducing the need for patients to travel to Nairobi for some services.
Prof Kindiki said the upgraded hospital would cater for patients requiring specialised treatment for conditions including heart and kidney diseases and diabetes.
He also urged residents to register for Taifa Care under the Social Health Authority, saying Nyeri was among the five counties with the highest registration rates.
The Government is also implementing a Sh650 million electricity connection programme targeting an additional 12,000 households in Nyeri County.
Tetu Constituency is expected to receive Sh89 million for the connection of about 2,000 additional homes.
Prof Kindiki said wider electricity access would support education and economic activity by enabling children to study at night and households to engage in income generating activities.
He said the Government’s broader objective was to ensure that every household could access electricity.
The Deputy President said 13 markets were at different stages of development across Nyeri County as part of a wider programme aimed at providing traders with modern facilities.
Among the projects he listed were markets in Nyeri Town, Asian Quarters, Field Marshal Muthoni Kirima, Nyeri Modern Market, Kiamaina, Kiawara, Rumoro, Mweiga, Mathira and Othaya.
The Government, he said, wanted to move traders, particularly small scale women traders, from dusty and muddy roadside spaces into modern markets.
Ihururu Fresh Produce Market is among the projects under construction.
Prof Kindiki said the county had a wider Sh17 billion programme covering markets, housing and student accommodation, with another Sh5 billion worth of projects at various stages of planning and procurement.
He also inspected the Ruring’u Stadium project, which he said was about 70 per cent complete.
The stadium, which had stalled for years, is expected to be completed by December or, at the latest, January, he said.
Construction of Othaya Stadium is also among the projects being undertaken in the county.
Prof Kindiki used his visit to call for stronger community action against alcohol and drug abuse, particularly among young people.
He recalled visiting Ihururu years ago while serving as Minister for National Security, when residents asked the Government to support expansion of a rehabilitation centre.
He said the Government would tighten regulation of the alcohol sector and conduct fresh inspections of manufacturers.
Manufacturers that fail to meet required health and quality standards, he said, would not be allowed to continue operating.
He also warned against the sale and use of bhang and other illicit drugs, saying substance abuse threatened the country’s young population.
Prof Kindiki called on parents, churches and community leaders to help young people battling addiction and said the Government would expand rehabilitation facilities.
“We cannot allow our people to be affected by illicit alcohol,” he said.
He further urged young people to take advantage of employment opportunities and contribute to the country’s development.
During the inspection of the Mau Mau Lot 3 works, the Deputy President also asked residents to support contractors and workers involved in the projects.
He said the workers were not merely earning a living but were contributing to the construction of infrastructure that would ultimately benefit the communities.
Prof Kindiki was accompanied by Nyeri Senator Wahome Wamatinga, Mathira MP Eric Wamumbi, Nyeri Town MP Duncan Mathenge, MCAs and other local leaders.
The road inspection forms part of a wider tour of Nyeri County by the Deputy President to monitor Government projects and report progress to President William Ruto.
