Eastern Regional Commissioner Jacob Muganda with other government officers addressing the media during the inspection of Wote Affordable houses on September 9, 2026. Photo by Mutune wa Ngumu. 
By Mutune wa Ngumu.
Contractors undertaking various government-funded projects in Makueni County have been put on notice over slow progress and failure to meet agreed completion timelines, with the government demanding faster implementation of stalled and delayed works.
Eastern Regional Commissioner Jacob Muganda said the government expects major projects across the county to be completed within the set timelines, with some expected to be ready for use by early next year.
Muganda spoke while inspecting the progress of the Makueni Housing Project in Wote, Makindu, the Emali-Ukia Road and the Thwake Dam, where he expressed concern over delays in the implementation of some projects.
He said contractors must increase their workforce, put in more working hours and deploy adequate resources to ensure projects are completed within the contractual periods.
“We have had discussions with the contractor and told him that he must put in more effort, increase the number of workers and also increase the working hours so that this project can be completed within the period that was given,” Muganda said.
The Regional Commissioner said the government could not afford to have taxpayers' money tied up in projects that take unnecessarily long to complete, noting that timely delivery would allow residents to benefit from the investments.
He said the government has invested approximately Sh57.05 billion in various development projects across Makueni County, including housing, roads, electricity connectivity, markets, water dams and other infrastructure.
“Approximately Sh57 billion and Sh50 million has been invested in various projects across Makueni County,” he said, adding that Thwake Dam remains among the major projects that residents are eagerly waiting to see completed.
Muganda assured residents that despite delays, the government remained committed to completing the Thwake Dam project.
“Thwake is a project that people are waiting for with great expectation, and I assure you that the project will continue and one day it will be completed,” he said.
He said development projects were being implemented across all constituencies in the county, including road construction and electricity connectivity, and urged contractors to maintain the required pace of work.
The Regional Commissioner said the government was now entering a phase where residents should begin seeing tangible benefits from the investments being made in the county.
He pointed to the housing project as one of the developments expected to transform the lives of beneficiaries, saying he expected the houses to be ready for occupation by April or May next year.
“By April or May next year, without a doubt, you will see people happily coming to live in these houses,” Muganda said.
He added that the government expected future visits by President William Ruto to Makueni to focus on commissioning completed projects and handing them over for public use.
“We expect that in the coming phase of his visits, up to next year, he will come to officially open these projects so that people can use the houses, access the markets, and the roads will have been completed and the infrastructure put in place,” Muganda said.
The Commissioner stressed that government projects must be completed as promised, saying the administration would continue monitoring implementation to ensure contractors adhere to agreed timelines.
He said projects such as housing, roads, electricity connections, markets and water infrastructure were intended to improve living conditions and stimulate economic activity in Makueni, adding that delays deny residents the benefits of public investment.
The inspection comes amid increased government efforts to track the implementation of development projects and address delays affecting the delivery of infrastructure across the county.
