On Wednesday, November 12, President William Ruto spent the better part of the day crisscrossing Makueni County, launching projects, commissioning infrastructure, and making promises he said would change the face of the region.
From Kasikeu to Wote, the President announced a new era for Makueni, one characterized by good roads, dependable electricity, and ample opportunities for youth.
At Kasikeu, Ruto commissioned the long-awaited Kasikeu and Mikuyuni bridges complete with approach roads that locals say will finally end years of isolation during the rainy season. “For the first time, we won’t have to wait for the floods to go down before crossing,” said Mary Nthambi, a shopkeeper whose business has suffered for years because of poor road access.
The President also distributed 2,140 title deeds among the residents of Kasikeu documents marking, for many, the end of a decades-long struggle over land. “We have lived as squatters on our own land,” said Peter Mutua, a local elder. “Today, we finally have proof this land is ours.”
Ruto followed this with an announcement of a KSh 900 million plan for ten modern markets across Makueni, including one in Kasikeu that will cost KSh 70 million. He explained that the new markets would create a dignified place of work for traders and increase the flow of business in rural towns.
To enhance education and skills training, the President announced that KSh 145 million has been allocated to construct a 2,500-bed hostel at Kilome Technical Training Institute a project meant to make technical education more accessible to the local youth.
On energy, Ruto promised KSh 2 billion to connect 18,000 households to the national electricity grid by June 2026, while noting that the government had already committed KSh 11 billion to Makueni for housing, markets, and hostels combined.
He also announced a KSh 3.5 billion investment to equip hospitals in the county with modern medical equipment, saying it would “bring quality healthcare closer to the people.”
Later, the President donated KSh 2 million to the Kasikeu Catholic Mission, after which he proceeded to Kibwezi West, where he launched the KSh1.1 billion 20-kilometre Emali–Matiliku Road, part of the wider 42-kilometre Emali–Ukia stretch. More title deeds were also issued to Emali residents, with an additional promise of KSh1.5 billion to upgrade roads across the county.
Addressing residents, Ruto said that the government was moving to speed up completion of the Thwake Dam with KSh 9.3 billion in financing expected to be approved by next month.
He also confirmed that the Machakos Junction–Emali Road would soon be dualled after securing KSh 30 billion in funding.
In his stopover at Wote, Ruto inspected the ongoing construction of 755 affordable housing units, launched the KSh 350 million Wote Modern Market, and announced the resumption of the Taawa–Nduluku–Itangini Road project, which had stalled for seven years but now has KSh 2.5 billion set aside for completion.
He also announced plans for a KSh 770 million stadium in Wote and the revival of the 35-year-old civil servants’ housing scheme, which will finally be completed in a year at a cost of KSh 550 million.
“These projects are not just about infrastructure,” Ruto said, amid cheers from residents. “They are about restoring dignity and giving every Kenyan a fair shot at a better life.” To many people here in Makueni, the pledges sounded different this time around-supported by figures, deadlines, and visible work already going on.
Whether all these promises will materialize or not is yet to be seen, but for now, one thing was clear from the President: Makueni’s long wait for development, he said, was coming to an end.
