NAIROBI, Kenya, April 25 – For decades, the stretches of roads in Kerio Valley were defined by the sound of gunfire rather than the hum of engines. But today, a critical infrastructure project led by the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) is proving that asphalt can be just as effective as ammunition in the fight against insecurity.
The upgrading of the B17 road is more than a construction project; it is a lifeline for a region long paralysed by banditry. Engineer Solomon Njeru, an engineering surveyor for the project, recalls a time when the area was completely “uninhabitable”.
“We just left the road and the project for a full year between 2024 and 2025 because it was impossible to work,” Njeru shared, noting that the project even lost personnel to the violence during its early stages.
The transformation following the road’s progress is most visible in the local economy. Kerio Valley is home to massive mango plantations, yet for years, these cash crops rotted or were sold for a pittance because they couldn’t reach lucrative markets.
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“Before 2024, reaching Eldoret was a struggle,” Amos Limo recalls. “You would arrive exhausted, as if you had spent the entire day tilling a farm. The road was a constant source of trouble.”
Residents are now calling for the project’s continuity, urging leaders to keep politics separate from development. Limo stressed that halting such initiatives could reverse the gains already made.
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“I don’t want to hear about politics regarding this project,” Limo asserts. “When the time for politics comes, let us vote, but let the projects continue so we can be at the same level as other counties.”
The improved road network is already positioning the region as a viable economic hub.
Farmers growing mangoes and rearing livestock can now access wider markets, including Nairobi and Kisumu, within significantly reduced travel times. Previously, produce rarely made it beyond Eldoret due to logistical constraints.
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The impact is expected to extend beyond agriculture. Enhanced mobility will allow easier movement of people, goods, and services, fostering integration between communities and boosting trade across counties and even into neighbouring countries.
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