Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has confirmed that 11 contractors are actively working on the construction of the Isiolo-Mandera road. The project had earlier attracted criticism following President William Ruto’s announcement during his North Eastern tour earlier this month.
Speaking during a consultative meeting with Meru leaders on Tuesday, February 18, in Nairobi, Deputy President Kithure Kindiki confirmed that some sections of the Isiolo-Mandera road, which is expected to be completed within the next two and a half years, have already been tarmacked.
In response to critics, Kindiki emphasized that the project will be one of the key government achievements highlighted in the lead-up to the 2027 general elections. He also assured that the road would play a crucial role in unlocking the economic potential of the region.
President William Ruto at the Mandera Teachers Training College in Mandera, Mandera County, February 2, 2025.
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William Ruto
“There are 11 contractors on the ground as we speak, each with a stretch of over 100 miles, and some sections are already 40-50% tarmacked,” said Kindiki.
“People who are making fun of these projects don’t even know where these areas are. But when 2027 comes, and we go to account, we’ll drive along that road from Mandera to Isiolo—that’s how you open up that part of the country,” he added.
Furthermore, Kindiki faulted Cabinet Secretaries and Principal Secretaries for inviting President William Ruto to launch projects without certainty of completion. He emphasized that the president should only be invited to launch a project that is either completed or fully funded to guarantee its completion.
“Properly briefing the president on a project he’s going to inspect or launch is critical in shielding him from embarrassment and criticism,” Kindiki said.
He continued, “We want to spare the president from routine announcements or projects where he hasn’t been properly briefed on their funding and timelines. Ministers and PSs sometimes embarrass the president by inviting him to events knowing well that the project isn’t fully funded.”
Kindiki assured that he would personally inspect some projects before inviting the president to avoid any negative publicity. “I should inspect something, and if it gets stuck, the embarrassment comes to me, not the president. By the time he arrives, we are sure it’s either a completed project or fully funded with an end-to-end solution,” he explained.
Kindiki’s remarks come a month after President Ruto issued a stern warning to contractors delaying key government projects. “You have been paid all the money required. There’s no reason why this project isn’t progressing,” Ruto said while in Kisii.
“This is unacceptable. You’ll get a final warning. If you don’t pull up your socks, we’ll terminate the contract and bring in another contractor to get this cancer centre off the ground. It’s as simple as that. No quarrels,” he added.
Last year, the then transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen attributed the stalling road projects across the country over the last nine financial years to insufficient funding.
Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen during an Interdenominational Prayer Service at the National Police College Embakasi “A” campus on January 12, 2025.
APS