Ruto at 4: Mwachande Bridge Brings New Hope After Years of Difficult Crossings

By The COAST Reporter

Email, thecoastnewspaper@gmail.com

For years, crossing íRiver Ramisi at Mwachande in Kwale County has been a difficult part of everyday life for communities living between Msambweni and Lunga Lunga.

During the rainy season, residents say the old crossing became particularly difficult and, at times, dangerous, thus, disrupting journeys to markets, schools, health facilities and places of work.

Today, the construction of the Mwachande Bridge is changing that picture and renewing hopes of safer movement and stronger economic activity in the area.

The bridge, being implemented by the Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KeRRA) along the Milalani–Kikoneni–Mwangulu road, is valued at Ksh538 million.

According to government June updates place construction at 73 per cent with the project designed to provide a permanent crossing over River Ramisi and improve connectivity between communities in Msambweni and Lunga Lunga.

For residents such as Mwanamisi Mwaruma, the significance of the project is measured less in concrete and engineering specifications and more in what easier movement could mean for ordinary families.

She says residents have endured years in which crossing the area became especially difficult during rains, affecting access to essential services and everyday activities.

“For us, the biggest difference is that movement will now become easier. We have struggled here for many years, especially when it rains,” Mwaruma says.

The challenges have also affected young people and small-scale traders. Residents say poor connectivity increased the time and cost of reaching markets, schools and other economic opportunities.

The area largely depends on activities such as small-scale agriculture, fishing and trade, making reliable transport links particularly important. Once complete, the bridge is expected to reduce dependence on the old seasonal crossing and improve access to the wider South Coast transport network.

For resident Suleiman Muhammed, the progress represents the fulfilment of a long-standing community demand.

“We have waited for this bridge for a very long time. What matters to us is finally seeing the work being done and knowing that people will be able to cross safely,” he says.

Some residents have credited President William Ruto’s administration with pushing the project towards completion and say they hope the improved connection will stimulate trade, reduce travel difficulties and make it easier for families to reach essential services.

The project’s history, however, predates the current administration. Construction was officially commissioned in January 2022, before President Ruto took office in September that year, with the bridge initially expected to take about two years to complete. The project subsequently experienced delays, meaning its progress under the current administration forms part of the broader story of completing previously initiated infrastructure.

That distinction is important four years into President Ruto’s presidency: the test of infrastructure delivery is not only the number of projects launched, but whether stalled or delayed projects are completed and begin delivering tangible benefits to communities.

For Mwachande residents, those benefits are expected to be practical — safer crossings, shorter journeys, easier movement of agricultural produce, improved access to markets and less disruption during heavy rains.

The bridge therefore offers a useful window into the government’s infrastructure record at four years. While residents welcome the progress, the ultimate measure will come when construction is fully completed and the promised improvements in mobility, safety and economic activity can be experienced consistently.

For a community that has waited years for a dependable crossing, that is the outcome that matters most.