Govt Moves to Fix Kalonzo’s Home Road as Ruto–Wiper Political Firestorm Grows

The government has announced plans to upgrade the Kyuso–Tseikuru Road in Kitui County, a key route leading to Tseikuru, the home area of Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka.

The announcement followed the publication of a tender notice by the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA), inviting contractors to bid for the strengthening and upgrading of the road to bitumen standards.

In the notice published on Tuesday, December 23, KeNHA said a mandatory pre-tender site visit will take place at Kandwia shopping centre on January 15, 2026, starting at 10am.

“The Authority hereby invites bids from eligible contractors for the following tenders to be funded through the Development Votes. There shall be a mandatory pretender site visit as specified,” KeNHA stated.

KeNHA added that interested bidders can access tender documents from its website or through the Public Procurement Information Portal.

The planned upgrade has been welcomed by residents of Kitui, many of whom have struggled for years with poor road conditions that make it difficult to access hospitals, schools and markets.

During rainy seasons, the road becomes muddy, while dry periods leave it dusty and difficult to use.

However, the project has also sparked political debate.

Some Kenyans believe the move could be aimed at easing political tensions between President William Ruto and Kalonzo Musyoka, or even drawing the Wiper leader closer to the government.

The announcement comes shortly after a public exchange between the two leaders over the same road.

On December 15, President Ruto criticised Kalonzo, questioning why the road was not upgraded during his long time in government, including his tenure as Vice President under former President Mwai Kibaki.

“I heard one of them say I’ve been laying roads while in government. He even corrected me, saying he served for 40 years, not 50,” Ruto said. “My question is, how many years does he need to do a single project? How do you campaign for development when the road to your own home is still dusty?”

Kalonzo responded by accusing the President of focusing too much on attacking him instead of prioritising national development.

He defended his record, saying he played a key role in major infrastructure projects in Kitui and the wider region during his years in public service.