Securitisation Revives Vital 192km Road After Three-Year Stall in Kitui

KITUI, Kenya – A transformative 192-kilometre highway that lay dormant for over three years has roared back to life, thanks to the government’s innovative road levy securitisation programme that cleared crippling pending bills and put contractors back to work.

Construction on the Kibwezi–Mutomo–Kitui–Kabati–Migwani Road resumed on September 1, 2025, after the National Treasury released Sh1.2 billion to the contractor, slashing outstanding debt from nearly Sh1.7 billion to just Sh519 million.

Resident Engineer Dorcas Sinde confirmed the breakthrough: “The contractor could not continue due to heavy pending bills. This payment has been very important for the progress of the project.”

The remaining 23-kilometre Migwani–Mbondoni stretch, suspended since 2021, is now the focus of intense activity. Once complete, the road will provide a shorter, faster corridor for heavy trucks travelling from Mombasa port to northern and eastern Kenya, bypassing the longer Mwingi–Garissa route.

“This road is a game-changer,” Eng. Sinde said. “Heavy goods vehicles coming from Mombasa will have a direct alternative. Transporters can turn at Kabati to Mbondoni instead of going all the way to Kanyonyo. It will also open up this region for trade, agriculture, and access to services.”

The Sh20 billion project, cutting through Makueni and Kitui counties, is now expected to be fully completed within the next 18 months.

Local residents are already celebrating the return of hope and jobs.

Alex Musili, a previously unemployed Kitui man now working on the site, beamed with pride: “Someone travelling from Migwani to Mwingi used to pay Sh300 by boda boda. Once this road is tarmacked, it will be only Sh100. A pregnant woman going to hospital will get there quickly – no more struggling on rough roads. And now I have a job. Thank you for this spirit of development.”

Nationwide, the securitisation model – which raises funds against future Road Maintenance Levy collections  has revived more than 580 stalled road projects, ending years of delays that frustrated contractors and communities alike.

For the people of Ukambani, the sound of bulldozers and graders once again echoes promise: faster travel, lower costs, new economic opportunities, and a direct link to the rest of Kenya.

The road that time almost forgot is finally racing toward completion  and an entire region is ready to move forward with it.