Major road projects are at various stages of construction across Kenya’s Kisumu County, with some nearing completion while others are awaiting the start of works.
The projects include key routes linking Kisumu to neighbouring counties, as well as roads intended to improve movement within the county.
According to the Ministry of Interior and National Administration, the 30.5km Maseno-Kombewa-Kalandini road and roads in Maseno town are 67.7% complete.
The project has an estimated cost of Sh1.73 billion. The 4.7km Kisumu Boys Roundabout-Mamboleo Junction dual carriageway is further ahead, with construction 98% complete. It has cost Sh1.31illion.
Principal Secretary for Interior and National Administration Raymond Omollo said the projects were progressing at different rates.
“These projects are at different stages of implementation, but the progress shows that significant work is taking place across the county,” he said.
The largest concentration of ongoing works is along the Mamboleo-Miwani-Chemelil-Muhoroni-Kipsitet corridor.
The 12.9km Mamboleo Junction-Miwani section, known as Lot One, is 20.2% complete and has an allocated cost of Sh5.19bn.
Lot Two, covering 43.4km between Miwani and Chemelil, is 34% complete at a cost of Sh4.96 bilion.
The 44.5km Chemelil-Muhoroni-Kipsitet section, Lot Three, is 28% complete and has an estimated cost of Sh5.72bn.
The three sections have a combined value of more than Sh15.8bn.
The corridor is expected to improve transport links between Kisumu and areas towards Kericho.
“The Mamboleo-Miwani-Chemelil-Muhoroni-Kipsitet corridor is particularly significant because of its length and the level of investment involved,” Omollo said.
Work on the Ahero and Kericho interchanges is also close to completion.
The Ahero Interchange, located at the A1/B1 junction, is 95.3% complete, while the Kericho Interchange at the B1/C23 junction is 95.2% complete.
The two projects have a combined cost of about Sh1.39 billion.
Other projects, however, remain at an earlier stage.
The 11km Koru Town-Junction C35 road and access road to Koru Bible College, valued at Sh892.6m, is listed as 11.47% complete and is currently pending.
Two other projects have reached the contract award stage. They are the 12km Holo-Lela Road, estimated at Sh920m, and the Chiga-Rabuor Road, with a contract value of Sh1.10 billion.
“The focus now is to ensure that projects already underway maintain momentum and that those at the contracting stage move into implementation,” Omollo said.
The government expects the road programme to improve access to markets, reduce travel times and strengthen transport links between Kisumu and neighbouring counties.
The projects could also support trade and economic activity in communities along the affected routes.
“Better roads mean better connectivity, easier movement of goods and people, and greater opportunities for communities along these routes,” Omollo said.
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