NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 24 — National Liberal Party (NLP) leader Dr Augustus Kyalo Muli has dismissed the planned upgrade of the Kyuso–Tseikuru–Kandwia road in Kitui County, describing it as a politically choreographed intervention.
He warned the move is aimed at advancing elite political interests rather than addressing the long-standing hardships facing residents of the Lower Eastern region.
Muli questioned the timing of the project, noting that the tender was advertised barely days after President William Ruto publicly criticized the state of the road leading to Tseikuru, the rural home of Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka, triggering a heated political exchange between the two leaders.
The Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) on Tuesday published a tender notice inviting bids for the rehabilitation and strengthening of the Kyuso–Tseikuru–Kandwia road to bitumen standards.
The project, listed under tender number KeNHA/2924/2025, also includes the strengthening of the Kandwia–Kyuso road, with a mandatory pre-tender site visit scheduled for January 15, 2026, and tender closing set for February 5, 2026.
Addressing supporters at his Kitui residence, where he distributed Christmas gift hampers, Muli accused both President Ruto and former Vice President Musyoka of engaging in what he termed “politics of optics” driven by political rivalry rather than genuine concern for local communities.
“The sudden announcement of this road is not coincidental. It is a reactionary project, born out of a political spat, not a people-driven development agenda,” Muli said.
He argued that while infrastructure development remains important, successive governments have turned road projects into political trophies while neglecting deeper, more urgent challenges such as chronic water shortages, recurrent droughts, food insecurity and economic marginalisation.
Muli maintained that residents of Kitui and the wider Lower Eastern region continue to grapple with structural development deficits that cannot be resolved through symbolic infrastructure announcements timed to political pressure.
His remarks come amid heightened political tension following President Ruto’s remarks in Turkana County, where he faulted Musyoka for failing to deliver development in his home area despite decades in leadership.
The President dismissed Musyoka’s claims over past road projects, insisting that key infrastructure in the region was delivered during the Jubilee administration.
Musyoka has since pushed back, accusing the President of politicising a church service and misrepresenting his development record.
The former Vice President said the Tseikuru road was launched during his tenure with Chinese contractor Sinohydro as part of a broader regional corridor linking Ethiopia to Mombasa.
Muli, however, warned that trading accusations over credit for road projects does little to improve the lives of residents, calling instead for long-term, inclusive development planning that prioritises water access, climate resilience and food security over political point-scoring.
