Deputy President Kithure Kindiki addressing a meeting in Merti, Isiolo North, Isiolo County on May 21, 2025./DPCSThe government has committed to completing the Horn of Africa Gateway Development road project in two years' time to open up the Northern Kenya region to development.
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki said seven contractors have been assigned 11 sections of the 740-kilometre Isiolo-Modogashe-Mandera road to ensure works are expedited and completed within the scheduled time.
"There is no other government that has invested much resources into Northern Kenya and other areas that have for a long time suffered marginalisation like that of President William Ruto," he said while commissioning the last-mile connectivity programme at Rapsu area in Isiolo South that will see 6,200 households connected to the national grid.
The Isiolo-Kulamawe section that snakes through Meru and Isiolo counties is currently 28 per cent complete while the 113-kilometre Kulamawe-Modogashe section 38 per cent done.
"I will, from next week, start inspecting the road to ensure work progresses well so that we deliver on our promise of opening up the region to endless opportunities," he said.
The Rapsu Electrification Project is part of the Sh1.1 billion power projects the government is carrying out in the county. Sh771 million has been allocated towards last-mile connectivity, while Sh122 million under the Kenya off-grid solarization programme.
"The project will, besides linking the residents and local institutions to the rest of the country, also drive development in the region".
Kindiki, who had earlier inspected the Sh335 million Merti Solar-Diesel hybridisation that is 95 per cent complete and which will once complete, offer stable and eco-friendly power supply, said Kipsing, Bassa, Gafarsa, Yamicha and Malkadaka will be fully lit in few weeks-time.
At the same time, he also issued out Sh56.7 million cheque for compensation to families of victims of human-wildlife conflicts in the county.
"We inherited a huge backlog of compensation claims made in the last 10 years but President Ruto has ordered that the funds be released so that every Kenyan who suffered all manner of losses are compensated," he noted.
He said the government will support a local farmers cooperative society expand their irrigation scheme, provide them with a cooler for fresh produce and help them access subsidized certified seeds for increased productivity.
He was accompanied by Governor Abdi Ibrahim Hassan, Woman Representative Mumina Bonaya and Principal Secretaries Mohamed Liban (Petroleum) and Energy's Alex Wachira among other leaders.
