Kumbe KeNHA is about to transform that dusty El Wak-Rhamu stretch into a proper highway, and they're dropping a massive Ksh28 billion from the African Development Bank to make it happen. This 142-kilometre upgrade is about to change the game for Mandera County, sawa?

Big Money, Bigger Roads

So here's the deal — KeNHA just secured nearly 28 billion shillings to upgrade the El Wak-Rhamu road, and bana, this is proper infrastructure talk. The African Development Bank came through with the financing, and now they're inviting contractors to bid for Lot 1 — that's the 74-kilometre El Wak-Gari section that's been begging for some love since forever. The second lot covering Gari-Rhamu (68km) will follow after, but right now, the focus is on getting that first stretch sorted.

We're talking about a full bitumen upgrade here, not just patching potholes like they usually do. The road will be a proper 7-metre wide single carriageway with 2-metre shoulders on both sides — the kind of infrastructure that actually works, you know? And it's not just about the road itself; they're throwing in access roads, a loop road at Gari town, and other socio-economic infrastructure to really develop the area. Aki, this is serious business.

Four Years of Development Coming to Mandera

The timeline is no joke — contractors have until June 23, 2026, to submit their bids, and once construction kicks off, they've got four years to complete this beast. During that time, we're looking at excavation, asphalt concrete installation, surface treatments, and bridge construction. It's the full package, ndio? This project is part of the wider Horn of Africa initiative, which means it's not just about connecting Mandera; it's about opening up the entire region for better trade and movement.

The road starts at El Wak Town and extends northwards to Gari Town, right near the Kenya-Somalia border. That location alone shows how serious the government is about developing the pastoralist regions and improving cross-border connectivity. When this is done, travel times will drop significantly, and business opportunities will skyrocket for the people in those areas.

Why This Matters for Kenya

Look, infrastructure projects like this don't get headlines every day, but they should, because they literally change lives. The El Wak-Rhamu road is critical for Mandera County's development — better roads mean faster movement of goods, easier access to services, and real economic opportunities for communities that have been sidelined for too long. Plus, this is the kind of project that shows the government is thinking beyond Nairobi and actually investing in the periphery.

The Jukwaa Take: When Ksh28 billion starts flowing toward roads in the north, you know development is finally reaching the corners of Kenya that matter just as much as anywhere else — and that, my friends, is the real deal.

📰 Source: Kenyans.co.ke