For decades, residents of Mutara in Laikipia County have endured impassable roads, stalled vehicles, rotting produce and delayed access to hospitals, with many saying they have long felt forgotten by successive governments.

Now, renewed attention on the long-neglected Rumuruti-Mutara-Nanyuki road during President William Ruto’s development tour in Laikipia has revived cautious hope among residents, even as memories of past unfulfilled promises linger.

At the centre of the renewed optimism is the recent awarding of a Sh2.47 billion contract by the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) to WAK Construction to upgrade the Rumuruti-Mutara stretch to bitumen standards.

For residents like Gerald Muriuki, a farmer and posho mill owner in Mutara, the road has for years symbolised frustration and economic hardship.

“As a farmer, I have seen the worst of this road, the losses and the disappointment,” he said.

“Sometimes a transport vehicle can get stuck for more than three days when you have already harvested the produce. When the Mutara-Rumuruti road is tarmacked, the suffering we have experienced for decades will finally end.”

Farmers and traders in the region say poor road connectivity has left them incurring heavy losses, especially during the rainy season, when vehicles carrying produce and passengers remain stranded for hours or even days.

Perishable goods often rot before reaching markets in Nairobi and other towns, forcing farmers to sell produce at throwaway prices or absorb huge post-harvest losses.

But beyond the economic struggles, residents say the poor state of the road has also cost lives.

Jane Ation recalled how expectant mothers and critically ill patients have struggled to access hospitals due to the impassable terrain.

“When a pregnant woman needs to go to the hospital to give birth, it becomes extremely difficult, and sometimes lives are lost,” Ation says.

“About five years ago, there was a woman who could not be taken to the hospital because of the heavy rains. She remained in labour for a long time and eventually lost her baby,” she added.

The frustrations are echoed by Francis Ruengo, who says residents have for years watched other parts of Laikipia receive infrastructure upgrades while their area remained neglected.

“We have lived like forgotten people,” he said. “We hear there is tarmac on the Kinamba side of Laikipia and tarmac on other parts of Laikipia, but we keep asking ourselves, what kind of Kenya are we living in? Are we really in Kenya?”

Mary Epuyo, another resident, said news of the planned tarmac road has revived hope among locals who have endured years of isolation.

“We have suffered for a very long time. But now that we have heard about the tarmac road, I feel like development is finally coming our way,” she said.

Mary explained that Mutara is commonly known as “Checkpoint”, a name linked to its history as a checkpoint during the East African Safari Rally. But for many residents today, the name evokes memories of broken-down vehicles, endless mud and years of stalled development.

According to KeNHA Director General Engineer Luka Kimeli, the contractor has already begun mobilisation activities ahead of the start of construction works expected within the next three months.

“The Rumuruti-Mutara road is a timely and transformative investment for the people of Laikipia County and the wider region,” said Kimeli.

The project is expected to take 36 months to complete.

Despite the renewed excitement, many residents remain cautiously optimistic, saying years of broken promises from previous administrations have taught them to wait until construction equipment fully arrives on site.

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