[PHOTOS] Ruto inspects construction of Rombo Bridge, Kajiado County

President William Ruto on Thursday inspected the ongoing construction of Rombo Bridge in Kajiado South as the government stepped up implementation of a major road project in the area.

The project is expected to improve transport and trade between Kajiado and Taita Taveta counties.

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Ruto's itinerary began in Rombo, Kajiado South, where he inspected works on the Rombo-Taveta Road and the bridge forming part of the wider infrastructure project.

The Rombo Bridge is being developed as part of the Sh9.4 billion Illasit-Rombo-Njukini-Taveta road development, a project aimed at improving connectivity between communities in the two counties.

The road project covers a 65-kilometre link connecting Illasit, Rombo, Njukini and Taveta, providing an important transport corridor between Kajiado and Taita Taveta counties.

The government expects the project to strengthen transportation networks and improve the movement of people and goods across the region.

Once completed, the road and bridge infrastructure is expected to boost regional trade by providing more efficient access to markets while easing the transportation of agricultural and livestock products.

The project is also expected to significantly reduce travel times along the corridor.

The government has projected that the journey between Illasit and Taveta could be reduced from about two hours to less than 45 minutes once the road is completed.

For communities living along the corridor, the infrastructure is expected to have an impact beyond transportation.

Improved roads and bridges could ease movement between rural settlements and trading centres while enhancing access to schools, health facilities and other essential services.

The infrastructure is also expected to support livestock keepers and farmers by making it easier and cheaper to transport their produce to markets.

Rombo and surrounding areas are important livestock-producing zones, with many residents depending on pastoralism and agriculture for their livelihoods. Better connectivity could therefore help farmers and traders reduce transport costs and access larger markets.