Lamu East to get first tarmac road- 60 years after independence
The 15-kilometre stretch from Mtangawanda Jetty to Siyu Secondary School is being upgraded to full bitumen standards
Sixty years after Kenya attained independence, Lamu East Constituency is finally getting its first tarmac road — a landmark development expected to transform life on Pate Island.
The first phase of the project covers the 15-kilometre stretch from Mtangawanda Jetty to Siyu Secondary School. The road is being upgraded to full bitumen standards and is scheduled for completion before the end of the year. Works include the installation of modern drainage systems, culverts, kerbs, slurry seal, and road furniture to ensure durability, safety, and all-weather accessibility.
A section of the Mtangawanda-Siyu road project
The project is designed to link critical educational, health, and administrative centres across the island, significantly improving the movement of people and goods. Once completed, residents will benefit from a reliable transport corridor connecting key social service facilities and economic hubs.
During an inspection tour of the ongoing works, Cabinet Secretary for Roads and Transport, Davis Chirchir, described the road as part of the government’s broader transformative agenda aimed at unlocking development in remote regions.
“Remote communities on Pate Island will finally be connected. Access to hospitals, schools, and security services will improve. Tourism and local trade in Lamu will receive a major boost. The Coast’s frontier economy is being unlocked deliberately,” he said.
Lamu East Member of Parliament Ruweida Mohammed welcomed the development, noting that the road will ease mobility challenges while stimulating local economic growth.
“All the residents are grateful and appreciates the work of the government. Within three years of office Lamu East can witness real transformation and development,” she said.
The inspection visit comes at a time when the government is accelerating the completion of rural and national road projects to bridge infrastructure gaps in historically underserved regions.
The Cabinet Secretary was accompanied by senior government officials, including Principal Secretary for Roads Joseph Mbugua, Acting Director General of the Kenya Rural Roads Authority Jackson Magondu, and Acting Director General of the Kenya National Highways Authority Luka Kimeli.