President Uhuru Kenyatta’s pet project in Ukambani is now 90 percent completed. The 210-kilometer Kibwezi -Kitui – Migwani road project is being constructed by Sinohydro Construction Ltd – By Gerald Gekara.
Sino Hydro, was awarded the tender after a successful completion of the 8 Lane Thika Superhighway 10 years ago.
The Government invested Sh.18billion into the upgrade and is expected to be officially launched by President Kenyatta in February next year.
It is being undertaken under the Engineering, Procurement and Construction(EPC) model. This model is efficient since a contractor is obliged to deliver a complete project to a developer who needs only turn a key to start operating the facility.
Currently, Some 388 youth from Kitui County have been hired to complete the tarmacking of the Kibwezi- Kitui -Migwani road.
The works include the construction of a bypass in Kitui Town, designed to ensure that existing businesses are not affected by the project. The bypass will pass through Manyenyoni near Kitui School to Syongila.
A spot check by Uzalendo News reveals that the road is now tarmacked up to Kyanika Trading Centre, one kilometer from Kitui County. Currently, the contractor is rehabilitating the Kitui Kabati section.
Northern Corridor Transport Improvement Project.
The Kibwezi Kitui Migwani road forms part of the Northern Corridor Transport Improvement Project.
It will ease and facilitate traffic from Mombasa via Kibwezi, Kitui to Moyale by providing a direct route from Mombasa to Ethiopia on a direct alignment with less steep slopes, avoiding the need to pass through Nairobi.
The Isiolo to Marsabit and Moyale has already been completed by KeNHA.
Kitui County – SinoHydro partnership
To enhance the cooperation between Kitui County and Sinohydro, the contractor rehabilitated two earth dams, namely Tulia and Kavwata to provide water to more than 2,000 residents in Kitui West.
The dams were a donation from Sinohydro following appeals by Kitui West Member of Parliament Hon. Edith Nyenze.
In addition, over 1,000 youths from Kitui county have been contracted to work on the project.
The road development has been used as a political campaign strategy by 3 presidents namely Jomo Kenyatta, Daniel Arap Moi, and Mwai Kibaki.
However, Uhuru Kenyatta threw a spanner in the works and made the road part of his flagship projects in Ukambani.
