For years, the residents of Kitui and Mwingi West watched as their economic dreams were buried under clouds of dust from the unfinished Kibwezi–Kitui–Kabati–Mbondoni Road.
But that narrative is changing. With construction now in full swing after a three-year halt, businesses, farmers and traders are beginning to sense a fresh wave of economic revival.
The 199.5-kilometer road, which runs from Kibwezi through Mutomo and Kitui to Mbondoni Junction on the Mwingi–Garissa Highway, is one of the most transformative infrastructure investments in the region.
Once complete, it will unlock new trade corridors, reduce transport costs and open up markets across three counties Makueni, Kitui, and Garissa.
According to Thadox Sammy, the senior foreman overseeing the project, the ripple effects are already visible.
“People here depend heavily on agriculture and livestock. This road will make it easier and cheaper to transport goods to markets,” he said.
“For those who use motorbikes, for example, the fare from Migwani to the Mbondoni Junction is currently between Ksh 400 and Ksh 500. Once the road is tarmacked, it will be cheaper because there will be more matatus (public vehicles) and increased competition.”
For traders ferrying produce, livestock and charcoal from Kitui’s interior to larger markets like Machakos and Nairobi, transport has always been a major cost driver.
Poor roads meant higher fares, long travel hours and losses due to spoilage of perishables. With tarmac now stretching deeper into rural areas, logistics are being redefined.
The revival of this project also symbolises a turning point for Kenya’s infrastructure financing model.
According to Resident Engineer Dorcas Sinde from the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA), the project had stalled in 2021 due to pending payments until the government introduced securitisation. This structured financing model allows contractors to receive funds directly against pending bills.
“Through securitisation, about Ksh 1.2 billion was released to this project,” she explained.
“That cleared 80 per cent of pending bills. The contractor has mainly been doing mobilisation, as you can see, there’s a lot of equipment that the contractor has brought on board, he has also been doing mobilisation of labour and other activities like topsoil stripping and earthworks.”
Beyond logistics, the road is expected to spur investment in agribusiness, hospitality and real estate.
The improved connectivity between Kibwezi, Mutomo, and Mwingi and its eventual link to the Garissa corridor positions Kitui as a key trade artery between the Coast and Northern Kenya.
Heavy trucks carrying goods from Mombasa will no longer need to detour through Kanyonyo, saving time and fuel.
“This road is a very important part of the road network in Kenya because it will allow movement of vehicles, especially heavy goods vehicles that are coming from Mombasa,” said Engineer Sinde.
“They can choose to take the turn at Kabati, going all the way to Mbondoni which is a shorter way as compared to going all the way to Kanyonyo.”
Locally, the project is also fueling employment.
Hundreds of skilled and unskilled workers have been absorbed since work resumed in August. For many, the road’s return has brought back livelihoods lost during the suspension period.
Still, land acquisition remains one of the final hurdles.
The National Land Commission has begun compensating affected property owners, with over Ksh 800 million already set aside for payouts.
Once complete, the remaining 23 kilometers to Mbondoni Junction will close the loop on a highway that has been nearly a decade in the making.
