A war of words has erupted over the legacy of a key infrastructure project, with President William Ruto on Tuesday forcefully rejecting assertions by former Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka that he launched the Kibwezi-Maua road. The dispute places a spotlight on the project's timeline and the political capital both leaders are seeking to claim from it.

The heart of the matter is who deserves credit for the strategic road, a vital artery designed to connect Kenya's southern and northern corridors. For Kenyans in Makueni, Kitui, and neighbouring counties, the road is a lifeline, promising to slash travel times, reduce transport costs for agricultural produce, and unlock economic potential in a historically underserved region.

A Tale of Two Timelines

Speaking in Turkana County, President Ruto challenged Mr. Musyoka's account directly. “He is claiming that he launched the road from Kibwezi to Mbondoni. I want to tell him to look for fools; there are no fools in Kenya anymore,” the President stated. Ruto insisted the project was a product of the Jubilee administration, which he formed with former President Uhuru Kenyatta after the 2013 general election. “That road was not built by him. It was built by Uhuru and me when we took over government, and we have the facts,” Ruto emphasized.

Mr. Musyoka, however, maintains he was the project's prime mover. On Monday, December 15, he noted his role during his tenure as Vice President in the Grand Coalition government. “When I was Vice President, I launched the construction of the road with a contractor named Sinohydro,” Kalonzo said, adding that the road connects Ethiopia with Mombasa. Public records do indicate that the Government of Kenya entered into a commercial contract with the Chinese firm Sinohydro Corporation for the road's upgrade in January 2011, a period when Mr. Musyoka was Vice President.

Project's Long and Winding Road

The Kibwezi-Maua road, officially known as the Upgrading of Kibwezi–Mutomo–Kitui–Kabati–Migwani Road (A9/B64), has been a long time coming. While the initial contract was signed in 2011, construction on the ground officially began on December 6, 2016, during the Jubilee administration's first term. The project has faced hurdles, including stalling in 2021 due to pending payments.

The government recently revived the project through a financing model called securitisation, releasing approximately KES 1.2 billion to clear 80% of the pending bills owed to the contractor and get the work moving again. The project's completion is seen as a game-changer for the region, with tangible benefits already emerging:

• Economic Growth: The road is expected to boost tourism, mineral exploitation, and the transport of agricultural goods.
• Job Creation: Hundreds of skilled and unskilled workers have been employed since work resumed.
• Rising Land Values: Property values in towns like Kitui and Mutomo have appreciated significantly since the upgrade began.

This political clash is more than a debate over a single road; it is part of a larger narrative concerning development and political legacies. The President has repeatedly used infrastructure, or the alleged lack thereof, to question Mr. Musyoka's decades-long career in politics, even pointing to the unpaved road leading to the Wiper leader's own home. For now, as the final sections of the crucial highway are completed, the question of who gets the credit remains a fiercely contested political battleground.