By Wajir Today Reporter
The Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA) today launched the upgrading of Afgoye Road in Wajir East, a key route linking several neighbourhoods in the cosmopolitan constituency.
The launch marks the beginning of road improvements aimed at enhancing local connectivity within Wajir Town and its outskirts. The project is expected to ease transport challenges, particularly in areas that have historically struggled with poor road conditions.
The groundbreaking of the 2.5km road was graced by Wajir East Member of Parliament Aden Daud Mohamed, who described the project as a critical development for the constituency.
“This project marks a significant step in improving connectivity, easing movement, and supporting local commerce in Wajir Town,” the MP said
The MP hinted at broader infrastructure plans currently in preparation, including a proposed 65-kilometre stretch of fully tarmacked road that will serve multiple neighbourhoods within the town.
“Once construction begins, it will completely reshape the physical and economic landscape of Wajir East,” he added
KURA has not yet released an exact timeframe for completion, but today’s launch marked the beginning of preliminary works, including site preparation ahead of tarmacking.
The road works come amid growing calls for more equitable infrastructure investment in arid and semi-arid regions like Wajir, where limited road access often hampers service delivery, trade, and emergency response.
Last week, Members of Parliament have raised serious concerns over the prolonged delay in the construction of the Wajir–Griftu–Eldas–Buna–Bute–Moyale international road corridor, a project they say holds immense economic and regional significance.
Speaking during a plenary sitting on Tuesday, lawmakers from the North Eastern region strongly criticised the Ministry of Roads and Transport over the lack of tangible progress on the corridor, despite repeated government commitments. The project is expected to unlock trade potential and improve connectivity between Kenya and Ethiopia through Northern Kenya.
Eldas MP, Hon. Adan Keynan who had sought a statement on the status of the road, lamented the fact that the route has been in planning stages since the 1970s.
“This road has remained at the planning stage since 1974. We cannot continue to plan for over four decades without implementation. The people of Northern Kenya have waited long enough,” said Hon. Keynan.
