Ruto Points to Kulamawe-Modogashe Section Progress on Isiolo-Mandera Road as Proof of Delivery

President William Ruto has drawn attention to the Kulamawe to Modogashe section of the Isiolo–Mandera road during his inspection tour in northern Kenya. In remarks captured in a video from Garbatulla on February 11, 2026, he addressed lingering doubts from a year earlier.

Ruto recalled naming the route in detail—Isiolo to Kulamawe, Modogashe, Samatar, Wajir, Tarbaj, Kotulo, Kobo, Elwak, Garre, Rhamu and Mandera—only for critics to dismiss it as unfeasible. “They said it was impossible; today that road is proceeding,” he said. The president framed the work as evidence of commitment to end historical marginalisation in the north.

The full 750-kilometre corridor falls under the Horn of Africa Gateway Development Project. The Kulamawe–Modogashe stretch forms part of a 205-kilometre segment (Isiolo–Kulamawe–Garbatulla–Modogashe) that has seen steady advancement. Overall project progress stands at 45 per cent, with certain sections, including parts toward Garbatulla, showing visible tarmac and surfacing.

Construction on the Isiolo–Kulamawe–Modogashe leg started in September 2022, with an original target of March 2026 for that portion, though the broader highway extends to June 2027 in some updates. Works involve upgrading gravel or earth roads to bitumen standards, including grading, drainage, culverts and asphalt layers. The arid terrain demands dust suppression, erosion protection and careful material logistics.

Ruto inspected the Kulamawe–Garbatulla area with Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, assessing surfacing and other ongoing tasks. The road aims to connect pastoral communities to markets, cut travel times and support agriculture through better access for inputs and outputs.

The president linked connectivity to food security goals in northern Kenya. He reiterated plans for at least 10 dams in the region to enable irrigation, with roads critical for transporting equipment and produce.

For the construction sector, the corridor provides sustained contracts in heavy civil works, quarrying and paving. Local subcontractors from Isiolo, Wajir and Mandera handle site access, labour and minor structures, contributing to regional employment.

Critics, including former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, have claimed some sections stalled or that promises remain unfulfilled, though government sources point to phased progress and funding continuity. No full completion date for the Kulamawe–Modogashe stretch was restated in the latest remarks, but visible sections demonstrate advancement.

Ruto's comments reinforce the government's narrative of delivering on long-overdue northern infrastructure after years of perceived neglect.