Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has outlined a raft of development projects being implemented in Nyeri County, including a Sh45 billion plan to tarmac 775 kilometres of roads and continued investment in agriculture, healthcare, electricity and markets.
Speaking at Ihururu Shopping Centre in Tetu Constituency on Thursday, October 1, 2026, Kindiki said his role as Deputy President included supporting President William Ruto in ensuring that government projects across the country are implemented and do not stall.
Kindiki said he had been visiting different constituencies in Nyeri to inspect development projects, having recently toured Kieni and Mathira, with plans to visit Othaya and Mukurwe-ini.
Mau Mau roads resume after delays
The Deputy President said several roads in Nyeri, initially started during former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s administration under the Mau Mau Roads programme, stalled after the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the country’s economy.
He said the government had since cleared Sh177 billion owed to road contractors, allowing thousands of kilometres of roads across the country to resume construction.
“Across Kenya, more than 6,000 kilometres of roads are now being worked on. The contractors have returned, the roads are being built and they will be completed for use by Kenyans,” Kindiki said.
Tetu, he noted, has 133 kilometres of Mau Mau roads, with 65 per cent already completed. The remaining works, he said, are expected to be completed within the next year.
The roads include the Ihururu Junction-Kanjora-Dedan Kimathi University-Mweiga route and the Ihururu Junction-Njogwini-Kahigaini loop.
Kindiki said the road projects were particularly significant for Tetu because of the area’s historical role in Kenya’s struggle for independence and its association with Field Marshal Dedan Kimathi wa Waciuri.
“This is the time to build Kenya afresh; kilometre by kilometre, inch by inch, until we make Kenya a modern country,” he said.
Government highlights farmer support
Kindiki also used the meeting to outline government measures targeting farmers, particularly in the coffee, tea and dairy sectors.
He said coffee farmers had seen the price of their produce rise from between Sh50 and Sh60 per kilogram four years ago to between Sh120 and Sh140 currently.
On dairy farming, Kindiki said the government had raised the price of milk from between Sh33 and Sh35 per kilogram to Sh50, while efforts were continuing to improve returns to farmers.
He further said fertilizer, which cost about Sh7,000 per bag in 2022, had been reduced to Sh2,500 before being lowered further to Sh2,000.
The Deputy President also announced a reduction in the price of maize seed, saying two kilograms would cost Sh300 while one kilogram would retail at Sh150.
The government, he added, was distributing milk coolers to cooperatives in Nyeri to help farmers preserve their produce and reduce losses.
Kindiki also said the price of cattle semen had been reduced from Sh8,000 to Sh1,400 per dose to make artificial insemination more accessible to farmers.
Sh2bn for hospitals in Nyeri
On healthcare, Kindiki said Nyeri had recorded high registration under Taifa Care, the Social Health Authority-managed programme, and urged residents who had not registered to do so.
He said the government had allocated Sh1 billion for improvements at Nyeri Provincial General Hospital, with a contractor already on site.
Another Sh1 billion is being invested in Mwai Kibaki Level 6 Hospital in Othaya, which the government intends to develop into a referral facility serving Nyeri, Murang’a, Kirinyaga and neighbouring counties.
Kindiki said the upgraded facility would provide specialised services for patients suffering from conditions including heart and kidney diseases and diabetes, reducing the need for patients to travel to Nairobi for treatment.
12,000 homes targeted for electricity connections
The Deputy President said the government was also expanding electricity access in Nyeri, with Sh650 million allocated to connect an additional 12,000 households.
Tetu is expected to receive Sh89 million for the connection of about 2,000 additional homes to the electricity grid.
Kindiki said expanded electricity access would enable children to study at night while improving household economic opportunities.
Government expands markets
Kindiki also highlighted ongoing construction and upgrading of markets across Nyeri, saying the government was seeking to provide traders with better working environments.
He said 13 markets were at different stages of development in the county, including facilities in Nyeri Town, Asian Quarters, Field Marshal Muthoni Kirima, Nyeri Modern Market, Kiamaina, Kiawara, Rumoro, Mweiga, Mathira and Othaya.
He said the markets were intended to provide traders, particularly women, with modern facilities instead of forcing them to operate in muddy and dusty environments.
“Bottom-up is about taking our mothers out of the mud and dust and bringing them into modern markets with modern facilities,” Kindiki said.
Stadium projects
The Deputy President also announced plans to complete ongoing sports infrastructure projects in the county.
He said Ruring’u Stadium was about 70 per cent complete and that he would personally inspect the project, with the government expecting the contractor to complete it by December or January.
Othaya Stadium is also under construction alongside other development projects in the constituency.
Kindiki warns against alcohol and drugs
Kindiki ended his address by calling for stronger community involvement in tackling alcohol and drug abuse among young people.
He recalled visiting Ihururu while serving as Cabinet Secretary for Interior and said residents had previously asked the government to support expansion of a rehabilitation centre in the area.
He urged parents, churches and other community leaders to work together in helping young people affected by substance abuse.
Kindiki said the government would tighten regulation of the alcohol industry and conduct fresh inspections of manufacturers to ensure they meet health and quality standards.
He also warned against the sale of bhang and other drugs, saying the government would expand rehabilitation facilities to support people already struggling with substance abuse.
“If we do not do that, we will lose a generation that we depend on to take over from us,” Kindiki said.
