The residents of Ganda, Kakuyuni and Marafa Wards in Kilifi County are a happy lot following the commencement of the construction of key roads aimed at spurring development in the areas.
The County Government of Kilifi is set to spend about Sh140 million to construct phase one of the Kijiwetanga-Jakaranda road in Ganda Ward (Sh40 million), phase two of the Goshi-Madunguni in Kakuyuni Ward (Sh50 million) and construct cabro roads at the Marafa Trading centre in Marafa Ward.
The County Chief Officer for Roads, Mr. Philip Charo, on Tuesday handed over the sites for the Goshi-Madunguni and Kijiwetanga-Jacaranda, roads to the contractor M/S. S Mehta and Sons Construction Company, while the Marafa Cabro road project commenced last month.
Mr Charo said the projects were being implemented in phases due to inadequate financial resources but expressed optimism that they would be completed before the next General Elections in 2027.
The Chief Officer said this in the Goshi and Kijiwetanga areas of Malindi Constituency where he handed over the road construction sites to the contractor, M/S. S Mehta and Sons Construction Company.
In Goshi, Mr Charo said the Goshi-Madunguni Road would enable farmers in the agriculturally rich Madunguni area to transport their produce to markets with ease as well as make it easier for residents to access important amenities in urban centres.
He said the cabro roads at the Marafa Trading Centre would improve businesses as well as make it easy for tourists to access Hell’s Kitchen, a tourist attraction centre in Marafa Ward.
At Kijiwetanga, Mr Charo said the Kijiwetanga-Jacaranda Road would make it easier for tourists to access beach hotels in the Jacaranda area from the Malindi International Airport.
Kakuyuni Member of County Assembly Morris Dadu Hinzano thanked Governor Gideon Mung’aro for the road project in his Ward and pledged to work with him despite having been elected by different political parties.
Ganda Ward MCA Oscar Wanje thanked the County Government for the Kijiwetanga-Jacaranda Road, which he noted would be an important shortcut for tourists travelling from the Malindi International Airport to hotels in the Jacaranda area near Watamu.
Residents of both Wards who spoke to journalists expressed their joy and thanked their leaders for working as a team despite their political differences to ensure development reaches all corners of Kilifi.
By Emmanuel Masha and Winnie Charo
