Govt moves to tarmac Tseikuru road after Ruto-Kalonzo tiff
By Aloys Michael, December 24, 2025The government has initiated plans commence tarmacking of Tseikuru road days after verbal sparring between President William Ruto and Wiper Patriotic Front Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka.
In a notice dated Tuesday, December 23, 2025, the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) invited bids for the rehabilitation of the road.
“The Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) is a state corporation established under the Kenya Roads Act, 2007, with the responsibility for management, development, rehabilitation, and maintenance of national trunk roads. The Authority hereby invites bids from eligible contractors for the tenders to be funded through the Development Votes. There shall be a mandatory pre-tender site visit as specified in the table below,” KeNHA said.
Under Tender Number KeNHA/2924/2025, the authority intends to strengthen the Kandwia–Kyuso Road and upgrade the Kyuso–Tseikuru (852) Road to bitumen standards.
The pre-tender site visit will be conducted on January 15, 2026, at 10:00 am at Kandwia Shopping Centre, while the tender submission and closing will take place on Thursday, February 5, 2026, at 11:00 am at KeNHA headquarters.
President Ruto had scoffed at Kalonzo, saying that he had in politics for about 50 years, a claim the Wiper leader disputed, saying his career spans 40 years.
He said the difference did not change the substance of his argument. He questioned Kalonzo’s record, especially on infrastructure development, and challenged him to explain why key roads in his home area remained in poor condition despite decades in leadership.
“He says it is not 50 years but 40 years. Are 40 years just two days?” Ruto asked. “In 40 years, how many years do you need to plan a road to your own home?”
Kalonzo fires back
In his defence, the Wiper boss claimed the legacy of the late former President Mwai Kibaki, whom he served as the Vice President from 2008 to 2013.
In an interview on a local TV station on Sunday, December 21, 2025, Kalonzo emphasised that President Kibaki’s legacy is part of his own, preferring to use the word ‘we’ while highlighting the achievements of the Kibaki administration.
“Kenyans will remember I was Vice President to Kibaki; that is when ‘we’ built the Thika Highway,” Kalonzo said.
This came after attacks by Ruto that he had failed the Ukambani people in developing important infrastructures, such as roads, during his tenure as Vice President.
The Head of State also accused Kalonzo of misleading Kenyans by taking credit for a project he did not complete. He said the facts are clear and available, adding that Kenyans are informed and cannot be deceived about major public works.
“He is claiming that he launched the road from Kibwezi to Mbondoni. I want to tell him to look for fools; there are no fools in Kenya anymore,” Ruto said.
“That road was not built by him. It was built by Uhuru and me when we took over the government, and we have the facts.”
Ruto has been extending a charm offensive to the Ukambani bigwig, which now appears to have hit a snag, prompting him to use the developments as the only means to woo voters ahead of the 2027 polls.