An aerial view of Kutus town in Kirinyaga county /ALICE WAITHERAKutus town in Kirinyaga is set for a Sh33 million facelift after the county government partnered with the World Bank to modernise infrastructure and create a better environment for businesses.
The phase two project will include 2,500 square metres of cabro paving, pedestrian walkways, stormwater drainage, stone pitching, landscaping and tree planting.
The project will also introduce 10 fabricated container units housing 74 modern stalls, with 73 allocated to local traders and one reserved for a county revenue office. Clean water points, washrooms and dedicated boda boda sheds will also be provided.
Cooperatives, trade, tourism, marketing, industrialisation and enterprise development executive Calbert Njeru said traders had been involved in planning the project and supported its implementation.
“The traders who are directly affected by this project have been part of the journey. We have held several meetings with them and agreed that it is important for this project, which has come through our governor, to be implemented here,” Njeru said.
Traders affected by construction will be temporarily relocated to allow the fast-tracked works to proceed. The project will replace old structures, some of which date back to the 1970s.
“Some of the roofing materials here date back decades and do not provide a conducive environment. We ask for patience and support from traders and customers during this transition, as the final outcome will bring long-term benefits to Kutus and Kirinyaga at large,” Njeru said.
The facelift is being implemented under the World Bank-funded Kenya Urban Support Programme (KUSP), following efforts by Governor Anne Waiguru’s administration to strengthen the Kutus Municipal Board and mobilise funding for urban infrastructure.
About 100 traders will be directly affected during construction, while more than 500 traders, residents and customers are expected to benefit once the project is completed.
Lands, physical planning and urban development executive Samuel Kanjombe said rapid population growth had put pressure on Kutus infrastructure.
The town, which hosts the county headquarters, now serves more than 40,000 people, including more than 25,000 students at Kirinyaga University, investors, church headquarters staff and county employees.
“The population in Kutus continues to grow every day, creating immense pressure on existing infrastructure. Under Waiguru’s leadership, we are reorganising underutilised spaces to accommodate more traders and investors in a structured environment,” Kanjombe said.
The multi-phase project will run from the Cooperative Bank entrance towards the Kianyaga junction.
It will also address safety concerns posed by old roofing materials, including asbestos, which will be removed and replaced with modern prefabricated units.
Later phases are expected to expand public green spaces and recreation areas while improving sanitation.
Kutus traders have welcomed the project, citing persistent challenges including poor drainage, leaking roofs and inadequate business facilities.
Traders’ chairperson Douglas Irungu said improved drainage, clean water and a greener environment would make the town more attractive to businesses and customers.
Lydia Kimathi, who has traded in Kutus for nearly two decades, said the modernisation would improve working conditions.
“Having traded here for almost 20 years, we are thrilled to see this place modernised,” she said.
“We thank Governor Waiguru for her vision, first by introducing cabro paving that ended our struggle with mud, and now by providing clean, modern stalls for us to work in.”
