President William Ruto has instructed contractors working on crucial public infrastructure projects in Kitui County to accelerate their work schedules, with the aim of delivering the transport and trade facilities well ahead of their original contract completion dates.
The directive was issued during an inspection tour of the eastern region on Saturday, July 11, 2026, where the president assessed progress on major road and market developments.
Accompanied by Kitui East Member of Parliament (MP) Nimrod Mbai, President Ruto evaluated the ongoing upgrading works on the 25-kilometre Chuluni-Zombe Road, which will improve local transit times.
The civil works, which began in November 2025, were originally scheduled for completion in December 2027, but the contractor has now been directed to fast-track operations for an earlier delivery.
Once upgraded to bitumen standards, the road will link Chuluni, Zombe, and Kitui Town, facilitating the efficient movement of agricultural produce and passenger transport across the expansive county.
President Ruto also visited the construction site of the Sh165 million Zombe Modern Market, an economic facility being built under the national Economic Stimulus Programme (ESP).
Construction of this modern market facility started in March 2025, and the main contractor is currently working to meet the scheduled completion deadline of December 2026.
The completed market will provide a structured, weatherproof environment for local traders, offering modern sanitation amenities that will replace the informal open-air spaces currently used by merchants.
Speaking to local residents during the tour, President Ruto reiterated his administration's plan to execute public infrastructure developments equitably across all forty-seven counties of the country.
He noted that the national government is currently implementing 250 kilometres of road projects across Kitui County, representing a cumulative capital investment of Sh5.5 billion.
These ongoing county works form part of a broader national infrastructure programme, which currently targets the construction of 6,000 kilometres of new roads to improve regional connectivity.
In the wider Ukambani region, several other critical road projects are currently under construction or in advanced planning stages to improve the regional transport network.
These projects include the Emali-Ukia Road, Kyuso-Tseikuru Road, Ikutha-Mutha-Mutomo Road, Kivandini-Miseleni Road, Kwa Siku-Mbondoni Road, and the Kamuwongo-Kandwia Road, which are all designed to open up the agricultural interior to commercial markets.
In addition to roads, President Ruto confirmed that the national government has successfully secured Sh10.6 billion in development funding to finalize the construction of the Thwake Dam.
The massive water project, situated at the border of Makueni and Kitui counties, is on schedule to be commissioned for agricultural, domestic, and industrial use by April 2027.
The head of state strongly urged local political leaders to reject divisive politics, which he warned can delay necessary development projects and hinder national progress.
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