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The completion of the 202km Kibwezi –Mutomo –Kitui –Kabati –Migwani road is expected to boost trade in the larger Eastern Province.The shs 21 billion road is set to be complete in May 2022.
The road will also improve connectivity in Eastern Kenya.The construction is being done by Sinohydro Corporation of China.
It traverses Makueni and Kitui Counties, starting from Kibwezi Town and continues through Ikutha and Mutomo to Kitui.
It proceeds to Kabati and onwards through Tulia to Migwani.
In all the urban centers along the road, a total of 18 km of Township roads have been constructed.
Currently, the centers have witnessed growth of more shops.
The Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) said the road is part of the Northern Corridor Transport Improvement Project.
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“It will cater for through traffic from Mombasa via Kibwezi to Moyale and into Ethiopia on a friendly direct alignment and avoids the need to pass through Nairobi. The sections from Isiolo to Marsabit and Moyale were recently completed and that between Kibwezi and Isiolo is the missing link of which the project road forms the first section,” said Engineer Kung’u Ndung’u the KeNHA Director General.
He said the existing road will be upgraded to an International Trunk Road standard with a 7 m wide single carriageway and 2m wide shoulders on each side and shall include construction of 16 bridges.
Residents of the larger Eastern region had in the past complained of lack of bridges.
Currently, there are several interchanges at Kibwezi and Kitui Town, Social Infrastructure entailing a truck parking with roadside amenities in Kibwezi and Kitui.
Several towns in Kitui and Kibwezi have witnessed improved growth as a result of the road.Construction of the sections from Isiolo to Marsabit and Moyale were recently completed.
The road between Kibwezi and Isiolo is now the missing link to bitumen standard and the project road forms the first section of this link.
After the completion of the 74-kilometer Kitui- Mutomo -Kibwezi road, residents took to social Media in November 2021 to celebrate.
“The 74 kilometers stretch from Kitui town to Mutomo town was always a sad story when we had to travel out of Mutomo or have to get back to Mutomo from Kitui.
The dust, the holes…and when it rained there was a problematic bridge and sometimes vehicles would have to camp there till the next day when the water levels are manageable,” posted Sarah Kinyanjui a native of the area on her facebook.
She said the other side from Mutomo town to Ikutha on your way to Kibwezi was also full of issues.
“I have not joined the #UhuruDelivers bandwagon but I was just grateful that after over 20 years, God has finally answered the prayers of former little me then and many others that we had to endure bad roads in this very familiar territory to some of us,” she said.
Engineer Ndungu’u added that the road will open up the region to improved trade, tourism and enable growth of urban centers.