KeNHA Starts Blacktop Laying on Sh775m Machakos Highway Project

The Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) is executing an engineering project to upgrade the unpaved Kangundo to Kivaani corridor in Machakos County to bitumen standards. The infrastructure civil works cover approximately 13 kilometres of the B63 road network linking local trading hubs.

The upgrade carries an estimated capital cost of 775 million Kenyan shillings, which is funded through the state development pool. Civil works began after a procurement cycle concluded last year.

President Ruto officially launched the construction operations in November last year, during a development tour of the Lower Eastern region. The intervention addresses long-standing transit challenges on the route.

For consecutive years, local logistics networks and public passenger transport operators have encountered heavy bottlenecks due to the existing murram surface. The unpaved dirt route often becomes completely muddy, which makes it impassable during intense equatorial rainfall seasons.

Engineering teams have already advanced to the blacktop laying phase along sections of the corridor. The installation of asphalt concrete follows preparatory earthworks, grading, and structural layer compaction.

The upgraded corridor functions as a secondary connector road, joining up regional traffic pools to broader national transport lines. It connects local routes to the Thika to Garissa highway, and the Mautano to Mwala to Kitui to Machakos line.

Agricultural distribution networks will see operational friction fall. Local farmers and traders anticipate safer, more predictable access to major produce markets within the county.

The engineering upgrade lowers operating overheads for vehicle owners by mitigating rough-road maintenance liabilities. High mechanical wear from the old murram surface has historically deterred transport operators from expanding their regional routes.

Beyond commercial freight, the fully paved alignment improves links to public institutions along the corridor. Local commuters will gain reliable transit paths to public clinics, high schools, and administrative offices across the eastern quadrant of Machakos.

Engineering drawings approved by state authorities indicate the design profile follows the existing reserve boundaries. Contractors are carrying out the assignment under the close technical supervision of state highway engineers.

The civil works form part of broader national infrastructure programmes aimed at converting unreliable wet-weather routes into durable, all-weather assets. Construction crews continue to prioritize sections experiencing heavy traffic.

During the same infrastructure tour, President Ruto also launched the Kivandini to Museleni road upgrade. That separate project is valued at 1.25 billion shillings, and it targets completion by October 2027.

Procurement guidelines from the roads agency required bidding companies to hold formal certification from the National Construction Authority (NCA). Foreign contractors must also secure registration prior to formal contract execution.

The bidding terms also mandated anti-corruption compliance under the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Act. Every bidding contractor had to submit a formal declaration against fraudulent practices.

Technical books of drawings outline that the project coordinates rely on the standard UTM Arc 1960 Zone 37 South tracking system. The design accommodates existing overhead utility lines, and local geographic features.

The project area transitions the section from a speculative property zone into an accessible residential and commercial hub. Property demand along the broader eastern quadrant has grown, although transport challenges had limited development.

Local business associations noted that the previous murram condition caused extensive post-harvest losses. Perishable agricultural products frequently spoiled when distribution vehicles got stuck during heavy rains.

The current phase of asphalt placement focuses on laying a smooth driving surface. Road safety signs, guardrails, and concrete drainage culverts will follow as part of the auxiliary civil works.

Commuters travelling between the primary trading centres of Kangundo and Mwala will experience immediate travel time reductions. The finished highway will absorb traffic originating from nearby agricultural towns.