Kindiki dismisses doubters, insists Mandera-Isiolo road will be done in 2 years
By Luke Oluoch, August 23, 2025Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has defended the multi-billion-shilling Mandera-Isiolo highway project, dismissing critics who questioned its feasibility.
Speaking at an empowerment forum in El Wak on Saturday, August 23, 2025, Kindiki assured that the government is committed to completing the 750 km road in two years.
“This will be the longest road project ever undertaken in any part of Kenya since independence; it will be 750 KM connecting Mandera all through to Isiolo. To those who doubted it, this road will be constructed, and all those regions named will be tarmacked as stated,” he stated.
He described the project, commissioned by President William Ruto, as a groundbreaking development that will connect Mandera to Isiolo. Kindiki also responded to skeptics who doubted the project’s viability, citing the Ksh100 billion budget amidst economic strain.
“Many people thought the project was a joke. Most of them do not even know these areas, and many of them had never even placed a foot at El Wak, but we’re making progress. We’ve brought in seven contractors working on different sectors, and I want to assure you the road will be completed in two years. The president will come to officially open it,” he said.
His remarks come after he backed the project to revolutionise the economy of the region during an impromptu spot check on the progress of the ongoing construction works he undertook on Tuesday, May 2025.
Revolutionary
Speaking during the visit, Kindiki stated that the road would turn around the region’s economy in line with Ruto’s pledge of uniting Kenyans and bringing development to all regions.
“The highway will serve as a vital artery, fostering growth in a region long neglected. This transport artery will turn around the economy of Northern Kenya,” Kindiki declared, stressing its potential to create jobs and spur development.
Security improvements are another key benefit. The region’s vast, poorly connected terrain has fueled banditry and conflict, hampering effective policing. The new highway will enable faster security responses and better surveillance.
“It will also deal a massive blow to insecurity,” Kindiki emphasised.