Deputy President Kindiki Announces KSh177 Billion Road Funding and Calls for Peaceful Politics

Deputy President Kithure Kindiki said the government has released KSh177 billion to revive stalled road projects, including the Mau Mau Roads Programme, during a public engagement at Kinyona Shopping Centre in Kigumo, Murang’a County.

He explained that the past four years were spent stabilising the economy, creating conditions for the resumption of construction work.

The Mau Mau Roads Programme in Murang’a covers 225 kilometres and is budgeted at KSh9 billion; Kindiki noted that funds have been secured and contractors paid to enable completion.

He assured residents that the Kigumo section of the programme, spanning the Ikumbi–Karinga–Kinyona–Mairi stretch, will be finished, and added that an additional 1,285 kilometres of roads in the county will be tarmacked at a cost of KSh56 billion.

Kindiki urged road contractors to support local communities through Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives, such as improving schools and other public institutions, and called on elected leaders to collaborate with road authorities to identify projects that could benefit from such initiatives.

He launched the Kinyona–Karinga Irrigation Project, valued at KSh293 million, which is expected to serve 1,500 households and provide irrigation water to 750 acres of farmland, thereby enabling higher-value agricultural production and increased incomes.

Highlighting disaster preparedness, he warned residents to remain alert as the rainy season approaches, citing previous mudslides that damaged homes, and advised compliance with safety instructions and temporary evacuation orders issued by security officers and other relevant authorities.

Kindiki announced the construction of 27 markets across Murang’a County, nine affordable housing projects and eight student hostels in technical training institutes, and noted that chiefs and village elders are receiving stipends to help communicate government development programmes to residents.

He commended Murang’a leaders for maintaining focus on development despite political pressure and called for issue-based politics, warning against divisive politics and personal insults.

Addressing political violence, Kindiki said disagreements should be settled through ideas and development agendas, not insults or goonism, stating “Anyone creating disunity must be stopped. We don’t want tribal talk here,” and cited the 1992 presidential contest between Kenneth Matiba and Mwai Kibaki as an example of non-violent rivalry.

Reaffirming the fight against illicit alcohol, he described harmful brews as “poison, and it is death,” and asserted that the government will not tolerate alcoholic products that threaten the health and reproductive capacity of young people.

He concluded by urging politicians to unite against a culture of violence and to focus on delivering the announced road, electricity connectivity and agricultural investments.