Sh1.9bn bridge linking Siaya and Busia to be ready by April

The Sh1.9 billion Dho Goye Bridge linking Siaya and Busia counties is 75 per cent complete, with the government targeting completion early next year after years of delays caused by funding challenges.

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Francis Okoth, speaking for the resident engineer, said construction had gained momentum after the government resumed financing the stalled project.

Okoth said the project, which commenced in 2021, had encountered financial challenges that caused works to stall around 2022.

“The bridge commenced in 2021, but there have been some issues, some financial issues,” he said, adding that construction resumed in earnest in 2025 after the financing challenges were resolved.

He said the contractor had completed the bridge girders and was installing bearings on each span, with the final setting down of the bridge expected next month. The project comprises a 200-metre bridge and a 2.5km-approach road.

Speaking during an inspection by the Siaya National Government Development Implementation Coordination Committee, Okoth said sections of the approach road had already been completed, including a 300-metre stretch.

The contractor has committed to completing the remaining works, with Okoth expressing confidence that the entire project would be completed after the prolonged delays.

“We are already remaining with some few months, like six, seven months, to finish,” he said.

Okoth said the government had cleared the contractor's outstanding payments, allowing construction to proceed without further financial constraints.

Government Delivery Unit representative Allan Luvungu said the government was pleased with the progress of the bridge and other development projects being implemented in Siaya.

He said the projects were expected to be completed within their timelines and would improve livelihoods and connectivity for residents.

Siaya County Commissioner Norbert Komora said the national government had initiated numerous development projects across the county, covering virtually every constituency.

Among the projects are affordable housing programmes in Alego Usonga, Bondo, Ugenya and Gem, as well as markets and student hostels.

Komora singled out the Dho Goye Bridge as one of the projects he was most pleased with, saying its completion would significantly improve movement between Siaya and Busia. He said the government was targeting completion around April 2027, ahead of the August 2027 General Election.

“This is a project that will be complete for the benefit of both Siaya and Busia counties. It will save so much time in terms of the duration used in connecting both counties,” Komora said.

The commissioner said improved connectivity would also boost trade by making it easier for residents and businesses to move goods and access markets.

He also said more than 8,000 households in Siaya had been connected to electricity through the Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation and Kenya Power.

He expressed optimism that more households would be connected by the end of the year as the government expands electricity access.

The commissioner said the numerous government projects were creating employment and stimulating local economies by increasing the circulation of money within communities.

He said construction projects provided opportunities for local workers while benefiting traders, food vendors, shopkeepers and other small businesses.

“When projects come, they create an environment for the citizens of the area by creating a cycle of money within the economy,” he said.

Komora added that electricity and lighting projects could also improve security and extend economic activities into the evening. Fredrick Ochieng, a local assistant chief, said residents were happy with the progress of the bridge, describing the road as an important link between Siaya and Busia.

He thanked President William Ruto for supporting the project and appealed to the government to ensure the remaining works were completed.

Once completed, the Dho Goye Bridge is expected to ease transport between the two counties, shorten travel time and create new opportunities for trade and other economic activities along the corridor.