President William Ruto has announced a Sh15 billion allocation for road improvements in Taita-Taveta County, with the government planning to speed up work on stalled projects and improve links between key parts of the region.
The announcement came on Saturday, September 26, 2026, when Ruto inspected the 57km Bura-Mto Mwagodi road in Mbale, Wundanyi Constituency, one of several road projects being undertaken in the county.
The President said the Bura-Mto Mwagodi road, which has an estimated cost of Sh2 billion, had remained incomplete for close to 10 years.
Once completed, the road is expected to provide a better connection between Wundanyi and the Voi-Taveta-Holili highway, improving movement for residents and supporting access to markets.
“This financial year, we are investing Ksh15 billion to upgrade the road network across Taita-Taveta County, strengthening connectivity and mobility,” Ruto said.
The road forms part of the larger Mto Mwagodi-Dawida-Mbale-Wundanyi-Bura Junction project.
Records from the Kenya Rural Roads Authority show the wider project as measuring 55km, with a contract value of about Sh2.17 billion. Stecol Corporation is listed as the contractor.
The project has been affected by delays since it was launched, prompting concerns over the pace of construction.
The matter was also raised in Parliament, with the Senate considering a statement in May 2026 over the delayed completion of the Mto Mwagodi-Mbale-Wundanyi-Werugha-Mgange-Bura road.
The road was first launched in November 2021, when its cost was placed at Sh2.2 billion.
Ruto reacts to poor road condition
While in Wundanyi, Ruto also expressed concern about the condition of another road after inspecting it himself.
The President said he had earlier been assured that the road was in good condition, only to find a different situation on the ground.
“Salala!” he exclaimed, describing the state of the road as “balaa kubwa”.
Following the inspection, Ruto committed to ensuring that money was made available, a contractor selected and construction started within one month.
The Bura-Mto Mwagodi project is among several infrastructure works being pursued across Taita-Taveta County.
State House said construction was also continuing on the 60km Illasit-Rombo-Njukini-Taveta road, which provides a link between Taita-Taveta and Kajiado County.
About 20km of the road had been completed, while construction of the Cess-Lake Jipe road was also underway.
The Maungu-Kasigau road had been advertised for construction, with funding also secured for the 18km Voi-Sagalla road.
The planned road works are expected to make it easier for people and businesses to move goods and access markets, particularly in the highland areas of the county.
Ruto's Sh15 billion announcement comes at the start of his wider development tour of the Coast region.
The tour is scheduled to cover Taita-Taveta, Kwale, Kilifi, Mombasa, Tana River and Lamu counties, with the President expected to focus on land ownership issues as well as major infrastructure projects during the tour.