State assures Nanyuki/ Rumuruti road will be upgraded to bitumen standard

After years of false starts, the tarmacking of the Nanyuki-Murata-Rumuruti road in Laikipia County is set to start soon, Kenya National Highway Authority (KeNHA) has said.

KeNHA chairperson Winnie Nguni said that two contractors have been identified to tarmac the road after years of waiting.

Ms Ngumi said the contractors were mobilising equipment, awaiting embarking on the multi-million-shilling project in the next two months.

She spoke in Nanyuki town when she accompanied members of the Jamii Imara Mashinani brigade, led by Health Permanent Secretary Mary Muthoni, in a public engagement that popularised President Ruto’s development agenda.

“In two months, the contractors will be on the ground awaiting the launching, and we assure the public that the project will be closely monitored to ensure timely completion,” said Ngumi, adding that the project was advertised and contractors tendered their bids.

She also added that the Marwa/Nanyuki road will be dualled as it has been designed.

“Once the section of the Kenol/Marwa dual carriage highway is completed, the authority will turn to the third phase of the Marwa/Nanyuki road,” she said.

In the forum, the health PS said the national and the county governments were working on providing the health facilities with the much-needed medical equipment to fast-track treatment. 

In the meeting, the PS said the county governments are is expected to list down the equipment they require and the national government will look for a supplier ‘fees for service’ programme.

“The programme adopted for the equipment is ‘fees for service’, is not the former leasing one,” said Muthoni.

She added that due to high level of drug addiction in Mt Kenya, a rehabilitation centre will be established in Nanyuki to assist in the management of the situation.

The PS regretted that the number of females turning to smoking and drugs was higher than that of men.

“The data available in the Ministry of Health indicates that the number of females who have turned to nicotine and shisha is extremely high. We are working with the standard to deal with the traders dealing with the contrabands to help manage the situation,” said Ms Muthoni.