Embu: Residents of Embu County are set to experience massive economic and social turnaround as the ongoing construction of over Sh11 billion road network takes shape.
According to Kenya News Agency, these projects spanning over 400-kilometers of newly paved bitumen roads across the whole county and heavily supported by the National Government are poised to unlock the county's economic potential by easing movement of goods and people.
The extensive road networks are expected to serve as an economic catalyst for the county that heavily relies on agriculture as its economic mainstay in eliminating transport disruptions, reducing post-harvest losses and opening up remote areas to markets.
Speaking in Embu, while attending a fundraiser in Runyenjes constituency, Interior and National Administration Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen said the projects were an outcome of ruling Kenya Kwanza Administration's commitment to economic growth. 'These are link roads that did not exist as tarmac before and are entirely being done by the Kenya Kwanza administration,' he stated.
Some of these key roads include a 45-kilometer mega link highway of Kanyuamnora-Kamumu-Kageeri-Gachoka road in Mbeere North Constituency at a cost of Sh.2.7 billion to connect isolated areas in the semi-arid region. In Mbeere South, tarmacking of the 30-kilometer Kiritiri-Mariare-Mutuobare road is 67 percent complete, marking the historic arrival of the first tarmac network in the constituency.
Another flagship National Government project taking place in Mbeere South is upgrading of the 45-kilometer Wamumu-PI-Karaba-Makima-Machang'a road at a cost of Sh.1 billion. The upper-belt agricultural area of Manyatta and Runyenjes Constituencies are set to benefit with the ongoing tarmacking of the 27-kilometer Kivwe-Karingari-Kevote-Nduuri road at a cost of Sh.1.4 billion that will mark transition from dirt to tarmac road connectivity.
He said such projects were not only taking place in Embu but across the country to ensure equitable development to spur economic growth. Leaders from Embu led by Senator Mundigi have praised the ongoing projects that he said will permanently lift the county's economic status by solving years of transport challenges.
Speaking while inspecting the Kiritiri-Mariare-Mutuovare road on Monday, Senator Mundigi said it was the first time in decades that the county had secured such massive road construction projects simultaneously. He credited the Kenya Kwanza Administration for the historic development and rallied residents to fully back the Government, saying the projects were proof that it was delivering on its pre-election development pledges.
Mundigi appealed to residents to reciprocate the gesture by re-electing President William Ruto for another term in office in the coming 2027 general elections as it was under his administration the county has reaped big gains in terms of development projects.