Machakos County rolls out new road machinery in bid to speed up rural connectivity

Machakos County has added a new fleet of road construction equipment in an effort to accelerate road works and improve connectivity across its 40 wards, as pressure grows on devolved governments to show tangible infrastructure results.

Governor Wavinya Ndeti launched the machinery under the county’s Barabara Mashinani programme, saying the move is intended to reduce delays that have long plagued road maintenance and construction projects in the largely semi-arid county.

“Roads are the veins of our economy. When they are impassable, farmers cannot reach markets and traders cannot do business. If roads are blocked, the county cannot breathe,” she said.

The equipment includes 10 motor graders, two high-capacity rollers and a wheel loader, assets the county says will allow it to carry out more road works in-house rather than relying heavily on contractors.

“With this new fleet, we now have the tools to work efficiently, operate independently, and deliver timely services while saving public resources,” she added.

Machakos County officials acknowledge that progress in recent years has been slowed by ageing machinery that frequently broke down, leading to stalled projects and rising maintenance costs. Governor Ndeti said some of the older equipment had become unreliable, forcing the county to spend more time and money on repairs than on actual road work.

Road connectivity remains a critical issue in Machakos, where large sections of the road network are unpaved and become difficult to navigate during the rainy season, affecting access to markets, schools and health facilities.

According to the county government, more than 3,100 kilometres of roads have been graded since the launch of the Rapid Response Initiative, alongside maintenance works on about 140 kilometres of bitumen roads. Drainage improvements, murraming and gravelling have also been carried out to improve year-round access.

Several roads have been upgraded to bitumen standard in different parts of the county, including the Katangi–Kithimani Road in Yatta, the Kathalani–Kaviani–Nzaikoni Road in Kathiani, and the Kincar–Airways–Muungano Police Road in Mavoko, areas that have seen rapid population growth and increased commercial activity.

County Executive Committee Member for Roads and Transport Nathaniel Ng'ang'a said the county has also trained machine operators to improve efficiency and safety, noting that the equipment is expected to reduce turnaround times for routine road maintenance.

National government representative Jane Gichuhi, the Assistant County Commissioner in Machakos, said the scale of road works currently underway was notable compared to previous years, describing the pace of infrastructure development as significant.

The launch was attended by local leaders and county officials and marks the start of a new phase of road works as Machakos seeks to expand access and support economic activity through improved transport links.