Residents of Igembe North could soon see an end to years of waiting after President William Ruto announced that the delayed Kaelo-Kamukunji-Mutuati Road will be completed within one and a half months.
The President said the contractor is back on site and has been instructed to speed up construction so the project can finally be delivered.
Ruto made the announcement on Saturday, July 11, during the burial of Patrick Baikilanya, the father of Igembe North MP Julius M’anaiba.
He said the issues that had slowed down the road project had been addressed, allowing the contractor to resume work after a lengthy delay.
“The contractor arrived at Kaelo about two weeks ago. I have directed them to work on the project quickly so that within one month or one and a half months, I can return to launch the completed road,” he said.
The 9.76-kilometre road is being upgraded to bitumen standards under the Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KeRRA) at a cost of Sh630 million.
The project was launched by President Ruto in 2023 to improve transport within Igembe North, with construction expected to end in December that year. However, the works stalled, leaving residents questioning when the road would be completed.
The delay later attracted the attention of Parliament, where concerns were raised over the project’s status and the steps being taken to ensure construction resumed.
In November 2025, Julius M’anaiba asked for a statement in the National Assembly, saying the stalled road had made it harder for residents to reach schools, health facilities and markets.
Road officials later told lawmakers that delays in paying contractors had slowed down some projects, but said agreements had since been reached to allow construction to continue.
Besides the Kaelo-Kamukunji-Mutuati Road, Ruto said the government was investing more in roads across Igembe North to improve movement and open up the area.
He announced that Sh1.7 billion had been allocated for road projects in the constituency, adding that work on the Sh113 million Mea-Buluu-Ndunyu road was already underway.
The President also said the government would rehabilitate the road linking Laare, Antubetwe and Kina as part of efforts to improve the area’s road network.