The Kenya Urban Roads Authority targets to maintain more than 3,000km of roads in towns in the country within the current financial year.
Another 200km of new roads will also be tarmacked in the towns.
Kura Director for Roads Assets and Corridor Management Abdulrashid Sheikh Mohamed said good roads in urban areas will help to speed up economic growth.
“Much of the work on the roads in our urban areas is ongoing and we plan to ensure we have good roads in most of our towns to help spur economic growth,” Mohammed said.
He spoke in Uasin Gishu during inspection of the ongoing tarmacking of roads within Eldoret town ahead of the 2023 Devolution Conference that will take place on August 15-19.
Mohammed said Kura is partnering with the Uasin Gishu county to complete three kilometers within the town and so far they have tarmacked more than 1.5km.
"This is among the roads we will do nationwide. We are targeting to maintain 2,950km and to construct 200km of new roads. Work is ongoing on most of the roads under the programme we are implementing,” he said.
He said there were other roads Kura has earmarked to be maintained and upgraded in Uasin Gishu in the 2023-24 financial year and other parts of the North Rift region.
During the inspection of the roads in Race Course ward, Kesses subcounty, Uasin Gishu county executive for roads Joseph Lagat said completion of the roads being tarmacked will decongest traffic along the busy Eldoret-Kapsabet -Kisumu road.
Lagat said the county under the leadership of Governor Jonathan Bii launched the FY2023-24 road construction and grading in which they target to improve more than 1,200km mostly in rural areas.
Lagat said this year the county is targeting to complete grading of 600km of roads.
Last year the grading programme achieved 800km of marrum roads and 400km of gravel compacted roads.
Roads around the Eldoret Sports Club have been improved because it will be the main venue for the devolution conference.
Race Course ward MCA Amos Kiptanui who accompanied the team together with roads chief officer Abraham Kiptalam said improvement of roads had also resolved drainage challenges in the area.
