Ruto launches Sh319 million Isiolo roads

President William Ruto launches Isiolo Town Roads (Lot 2) in Isiolo County. [Bruno Mutunga, Standard]

President William Ruto on Thursday commissioned the upgrading to paved standard and performance-based maintenance of the Isiolo Town Roads (Lot 2) in Isiolo County.

The 6km project road falls within Isiolo town in the former North Eastern Province and comprises three links.

These links are the 1.3km Isiolo Airport-Mattercare hospital road, the 2.7km Trojan-LMD Road, and the 2km Catholic-IWASCO Water Kiosk road. The roads, constructed at a cost of Sh319 million, are now complete. Additionally, the Isiolo Township Road (Lot 1) and the Kina-Kiutine-Garbatula roads are both 89 per cent complete.

According to the project document by Kenya Rural Roads Authority, the upgrading works were scheduled to be completed in 24 months, with a defects liability period of 12 months and a maintenance period of 36 months.

"The contractor was given the Order to Commence on November 30, 2016, and commenced works on December 22, 2016. The scheduled completion date for Upgrading Works was December 22, 2018," reads the project document seen by The Standard.

Further details from KeRRA show that the works were inspected for substantial completion on November 12, 2020, with the Inspection and Acceptance Committee taking over the project from August 19, 2020.

"The end of defects liability period inspection was carried out on December 10, 2021, and the effective taking over date was adopted by the Inspection and Acceptance Committee as August 19, 2021," reads the KeRRA document.

During the road's launch, President Ruto directed Transport CS Kipchumba Murkomen to ensure the completion of the Kina-Garbatula road within one year. "We want to change the face of Isiolo, and we can only achieve that through infrastructure development," said the President.

Besides this, KeRRA is undertaking the construction of the Kubi Tullo and the Kipsing-Oldorini bridges, with the commencement date slated for next month.

The roads will open up Isiolo county, enhance trade and investment, and ensure seamless connectivity to key institutions.