KISUMU — The Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA) has confirmed that the ongoing construction of the Kibos–Chiga Road will cost KSh300 million, setting in motion one of the most ambitious infrastructural undertakings in the area in recent years.
Speaking in Kisumu, KURA Regional Director Eng. Richard Donde outlined the scope of the project, noting that the stretch runs from the end of the tarmac near Mama Ida Odinga Girls Secondary School up to the Catholic Church in Chiga. He said the works are projected to take 18 months but added that KURA has pushed for a tighter 12-month delivery timeline.
“This road is critical for mobility, trade and access to key institutions in this corridor. We are expediting it so that residents can start reaping the benefits much sooner,” Eng. Donde stated.
The project follows intense lobbying by Kisumu East MP Shakeel Shabbir, who has consistently pressed for road improvements in the constituency, arguing that poor infrastructure has stifled the region’s economic potential. For years, the Kibos–Chiga stretch has been notorious for dust, mud, and potholes — crippling agriculture, driving up transport costs, and leaving school-going children stranded during rainy seasons.
The announcement, however, comes on the back of rapid demolitions of structures along the road reserve, sparking resistance and anguish from local residents. Eng. Donde defended the demolitions as unavoidable, insisting that the inconvenience was a necessary step in delivering long-term development.
“Every major project has its disruptions. We understand the pain, but the bigger picture is a reliable road that will serve generations. We appeal for calm and patience,” he said.
Once KURA completes its stretch, the Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KeRRA) will take over and extend the road deeper into Chiga, creating a seamless link between Kisumu’s peri-urban communities and the city’s commercial hub.
Infrastructure experts note that the project could become a game-changer by easing access to education facilities such as Mama Ida Odinga Girls Secondary School, boosting healthcare reach, and unlocking markets for agricultural produce. For small-scale farmers in Kibos and Chiga, a reliable road means faster deliveries, less wastage, and improved earnings.
The KSh300 million project is part of the government’s broader infrastructure push to modernize rural-urban link roads in Kisumu County, cementing the city’s position as a regional gateway for the Lake Region Economic Bloc.
Still, for many residents whose kiosks and homes now lie in rubble, optimism is tempered with bitterness. “We welcome development, but it shouldn’t mean development at the expense of the poor,” one displaced trader lamented.
As bulldozers roll and dust settles, all eyes are on KURA, KeRRA, and MP Shakeel Shabbir — with the public expecting delivery of a road that matches both the cost and the promises made.
