The 124.5km road linking West Pokot, Elgeyo Marakwet and Baringo counties will be built by a Chinese and a local contractor.
Leaders welcome the tarmacking of the road saying it would open up the region, spur development and mitigate insecurity.
The construction of a key link road in banditry-prone Kerio Valley at a cost of Sh14.4 billion will start in January as the government moves to open the region to investment and ease response in emergency situations.
Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) said the 124.5km Barppelo-Tot-Chesegon-Marich Pass, which links West Pokot, Elgeyo Marakwet and Baringo counties, will be built by a Chinese and a local contractor - China Railway Seventh Group and Three N International, respectively.
KeNHA chairman Wangai Ndirangu, Elgeyo Marakwet Governor Alex Tolgos, Senator Kipchumba Murkomen, Marakwet County Commissioner Dr Ahmed Omar and Marakwet East MP David Bowen led a public participation exercise in Chesongoch on Wednesday.
“Local leadership is the main link between KeNHA and the community and with your support, this project will move smoothly and we are optimistic of beating the October 2024 deadline,” said Mr Ndirangu.
The leaders welcomed the tarmacking of the road saying it would open up the region, spur development and mitigate insecurity.
“We have seen how farmers in this region suffer due to poor roads. Their mangoes often go bad and with the road now being improved to bitumen standard, this will be a thing of the past,” said Governor Tolgos.
He added that insecurity issues would also be addressed since security agencies would be able to respond swiftly.
The 124.5km road will comprise a parking yard and 0.5km loop road at Tot in Marakwet East, a peace monument beside the 9km Chesegon Bypass, and a 16km Kilangata-Chesongoch-Tot stretch.
