Not an inch of tarmac on Nanyuki-Rumuruti 3 years after project launch

The protesters barricaded the road for almost two hours on Monday demanding an explanation as to why the Sh3.3 billion project is yet to start after being launched in 2022.

Sections of the road that connects Nanyuki to the County Government headquarters at Rumuruti become impassable during the rainy season, forcing motorists to use the 151km Nanyuki-Naromoru-Nyahururu route.

Ordinarily, the distance to Rumuruti from Nanyuki town should take at most 90 minutes, but rundown sections of the road have seen vehicles getting stuck in the mud for three days, while some take five hours to reach their destination.

Upgrading this crucial road has always turned into a political agenda by leaders aspiring for various elective seats since 2013, but the issue takes a backseat once elections are over.

In January 2022 ahead of the August General Election, then Infrastructure Principal Secretary, Paul Maringa, visited Nanyuki in the company of senior Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) officials and announced the contract to upgrade the road to bitumen standards had been awarded.

Prof Maringa announced that the works would commence in a few weeks, but he did not disclose who had been awarded the contract, but maintained that the project would be given top priority since it links Nanyuki with Rumuruti town, the gazetted Laikipia county headquarters.

“We have recognised its value and we are here again to confirm that even as we look for sufficient funds to upgrade this road fully to bitumen standards, we really cannot wait until then. We want to start doing it on a stage improvement basis,” Prof Mariga told journalists then.

But nothing has happened since and hopes that upgrading of the road would be prioritised have been dashed.

While commissioning the construction of an affordable housing project early this year, President William Ruto revisited the Rumuruti road pledge, saying the issue was still in his mind and that construction work would begin "once funds are available".

But locals say they are now tired of the unending, but yet-to-be-fulfilled promises by senior government officials.

“For over 10 years now, we have been treated to numerous promises from various leaders including President Ruto from the time he was the Deputy President. Where did the money set aside for the project disappear, or was it just a gimmick to try to win our votes?” protested a trader at Ngareng’ro market Ms Khadija Hassan.

Ms Hassan said expectant mothers requiring urgent medical attention were bearing the brunt of the impassable road, as it was a struggle to reach Nanyuki Teaching and Referral Hospital at a time distance of 20km taking up to five hours.

Public Service Vehicle operators plying the route said they were incurring heavy losses due to maintenance costs.

“Between Rumuruti and Nanyuki towns, there are several shopping centres where we pick passengers and ferry goods. Even during heavy rains, we cannot run away to the Naromoru-Nyahururu route and we opt to take the risks but it comes with heavy costs and inconveniences,” said Mr Robert Kihuria, an official from DATIMA Sacco who was among the protesters.

Mr Dennis Mutegi, a shopkeeper at Dibatas market, accused the four Laikipia MPs of failing to ask for “favours in the form of development projects” from President Ruto but spending most of their time strategising the fight against Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.

“Our MPs only think about their stomachs. How will impeaching the deputy president benefit us? Now that they claim to be very close to President Ruto, why don’t they ask him to order tarmacking of this very important road ahead of the expected rains?” posed Mr Mutegi.