President Ruto Commissions KSh300 Million Chuka Modern Market

President William Ruto on Sunday commissioned the newly-built Chuka Modern Market in Tharaka Nithi County, marking the completion of a KSh300 million investment in the region’s retail infrastructure.

The facility is part of a broader KSh1.5 billion program aimed at constructing ten modern markets across the county to improve trade environments for local vendors.

During the handover ceremony, President Ruto announced that the government has already committed a further KSh1 billion for the second phase of the Chuka project.

This upcoming expansion is designed to accommodate more than 1,000 additional traders and will feature a basement bus park to ease local traffic congestion.

The President emphasized that the market projects are part of an integrated development plan for the county, which includes significant allocations for housing, education, and transport.

Beyond the trade facilities, the national government is investing KSh7.5 billion in the construction of 5,000 affordable housing units within Tharaka Nithi.

The education sector is also receiving attention, with KSh2.7 billion earmarked for student hostels to house 6,000 college and university students in the area.

Transport infrastructure remains a high priority, with President Ruto confirming that KSh7 billion has been secured for the construction of a modern Nithi Bridge.

The Kenya National Highways Authority has already completed the engineering designs for the 880-meter bridge, which is intended to address the long-standing safety concerns at the site.

There are also plans to expand the Makutano-Meru-Maua road into a dual carriageway to facilitate easier movement of goods and people across the region.

Regarding utility connectivity, the President noted that 12,000 households in the county have been connected to the national grid over the last three years.

An additional KSh920 million has been allocated this year to extend electricity to another 9,000 homes in Tharaka Nithi.

President Ruto also touched on health reforms, noting that 70 percent of residents in the county have registered under the Social Health Authority (SHA).

The visit underscores the government’s shift toward high-value infrastructure projects intended to decentralize economic activity and provide modern workspaces for small-scale entrepreneurs.