Ruto in Wajir: Inside Ksh.100B infrastructure push for Northern Kenya

At the heart of the push is the Horn of Africa Gateway Development Project, a 750-kilometre highway connecting Isiolo through Wajir to Mandera on the Ethiopian and Somali borders. 

Budgeted at Ksh.100 billion, it is the longest single road project Kenya has undertaken since independence. 

The road traverses 11 sections across four counties, Isiolo, Garissa, Wajir and Mandera, and is jointly financed by the World Bank and the Kenyan government. Construction began in August 2024 and had reached 40 per cent completion by February 2026, with completion targeted for January 2028.

Roads Principal Secretary Eng. Joseph Mbugua described it as "the most important development project undertaken in the region since independence." During his Wajir tour, the President inspected the 64-kilometre Tarbaj–Kotulo section and the upgrading of the 90-kilometre Odda–Bute–Danaba–Wajir road.

"When I announced the construction of this road in February 2025, it looked like a story. It didn't look real. Some even said it was a lie. But here we are today," Ruto said.

The government has committed Ksh.38.5 billion across Wajir, Garissa and Mandera counties covering housing, water, education and energy. For Wajir specifically, Ksh.15.6 billion has been allocated for 4,600 affordable housing units, the Ksh.460 million Eldas Water Supply Project has been commissioned, and a mini-grid power project is operational in Habaswein with more planned.

The President also laid the foundation stone for the 580-bed Eldas Teachers Training College and announced the integration of Madrasa and Duksi schools into Kenya's basic education framework.

He directed the Ministry of Energy to take affirmative action to accelerate electricity connectivity in a region with some of the lowest electrification rates in the country.

Over 2,500 young people across all 30 wards of Wajir have received business capital and training through the NYOTA programme, financed by a Ksh.5 billion World Bank grant.

The Roads PS noted the tarmacking project is expected to reduce perennial insecurity fuelled by poor road infrastructure. Ruto also addressed the long-standing grievance of discriminatory access to national identity documents, promising reforms for fair registration.

Kenya's meat exports grew 84 per cent from Ksh 8.9 billion in 2022 to Ksh 16.4 billion in 2025, driven by Gulf demand.

Wajir, as a primary livestock-producing county, stands to benefit directly, but only if the road network enables reliable transport to processing and export points. The President also announced plans for major irrigation and dam projects and the upgrading of Wajir Airport.

Residents of Wajir gifted Ruto 100 camels at the close of the Madaraka Day celebrations, a gesture carrying deep cultural weight in the pastoralist community.