This archive report was first published on 6 January 2020.
On January 6, 2020, The Standard reported on the completion of the Mati road, a 103-kilometre stretch that has opened up the previously marginalised low-lying semi-arid area of Tharaka for business.
The road, which was agreed upon by the national government in a 1989 National Assembly resolution, took 30 years to implement. It links Embu, Tharaka-Nithi, and Meru counties, cutting through the region.
According to Herbert Kinyua, a real estate developer, the road has made the region more attractive for development projects. 'Many motorists want to use it because it is a quicker route from Nairobi to Meru. Unlike the Meru-Embu-Nairobi highway, Mati road is almost straight, flat and has no sharp bends. It is easier to navigate,' said Kinyua.
President Uhuru Kenyatta is expected to launch the road, which was constructed in two phases. The first phase, from Ena to Chiakariga, was started during the reign of President Mwai Kibaki, while the second phase, from Chiakariga to Meru town, was completed by the Jubilee government.
With the road's completion, new high-end hotels, petrol stations, and shopping centres have come up in the region, with traders keen to cash in on the increasing traffic.
