BY:Faith Mukundi
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has announced a Sh35 billion road development programme targeting 515 kilometres of roads across Tharaka Nithi County, as the government moves to expand the region’s road network and improve connectivity.
Speaking in Mitheru, Maara Constituency, on Thursday, October 22, 2026, Kindiki said several roads had been prioritised for tarmacking, with construction already commencing on the Mitheru–Kiini–Giampampo–Muthenge–Kamachuku road.
The Deputy President said the government was also committed to addressing stalled projects and roads experiencing slow progress, citing the need to ensure that planned infrastructure improvements translate into better transport links for residents.
Among the projects targeted for intervention is the Kajiunduthi–Weru Tea Factory–Iriga–Mutindwa–Kianjagi–Chogoria Road, which Kindiki said the government would work to unlock.
He said he had inspected ongoing works and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to addressing delays affecting road construction projects in the county.
The planned tarmacking programme is expected to improve movement between communities, ease the transportation of agricultural produce and strengthen access to markets and essential services. However, the impact will depend on the pace of implementation, funding and completion of the identified projects.
Tharaka Nithi is among the counties where road infrastructure is important to agricultural trade, particularly for farmers transporting tea, dairy products and other farm produce to markets and processing facilities.
The announcement comes amid wider government infrastructure commitments in the county, with residents looking to see stalled projects revived and new road works completed.
Kindiki did not provide individual budgets or completion timelines for the roads in his statement, leaving details on the implementation schedule for the Sh35 billion programme to be clarified.