For residents of Taita Taveta County, ongoing infrastructure projects are beginning to change more than the physical appearance of their communities, with roads, affordable housing and a new stadium opening up opportunities for work, business and sport.
From tuk-tuk drivers and casual workers to young professionals and small traders, residents say the projects are making movement easier, creating employment and giving young people new opportunities to earn a living.
Better road, better business
Patrick, a tuk-tuk driver from Tononoka, says the ongoing upgrade of Malindi Road has significantly changed his daily work after using the route for about a decade.
He says sections that have already been completed are wider and smoother, allowing him to transport passengers faster, make more trips and return to the road sooner.
According to Patrick, the improvements have translated into better earnings compared with the period before the road works began.
He thanked the government for undertaking the project, saying the changes witnessed over the past three years have made a major difference to road users.
Patrick expects the completion of the remaining sections to ease traffic congestion further, shorten passenger travel times and make his work less demanding.
Before the upgrade, he recalls that Malindi Road was characterised by heavy traffic, potholes and frequent delays.
He says the narrow road also contributed to accidents as vehicles overlapped, while breakdowns often brought traffic to a standstill.
With the road now improving, Patrick hopes to expand his business by acquiring more tuk-tuks, increase his income, support his family better and provide a better education for his children.
Housing project creates jobs for youth
For young people struggling to enter the job market, the affordable housing project in Voi is also providing a pathway into employment.
Dania Ndighila, a youth from Voi, says she secured an internship as an interior design intern through the project after struggling to find work.
The opportunity, she says, has enabled her to earn an income at the end of the month and meet basic expenses, including rent, water and other utilities.
She has also been able to start small businesses to supplement her income.
Dania says the housing development is creating employment for other residents and enabling them to earn money and improve their livelihoods.
She adds that the area is opening up as construction continues, with roads being improved and hospitals located nearby, making the neighbourhood more attractive to existing residents and future homeowners.
Before securing the internship, Dania says life was difficult as a young person searching for employment.
She hopes more projects will be established in the county so that more young people can secure jobs, access opportunities and improve their living standards.
Stadium brings new hope for sporting talent
Residents are also looking to the new stadium project in Voi to transform the county’s sporting landscape.
Ezekiel Maghanga, a resident of Voi, says the community is excited to see the stadium taking shape after spending more than two decades without a proper sports facility.
He believes the stadium will attract visitors, increase sporting activities and create opportunities for people living in the area.
Once completed, Ezekiel says the facility will give young people a better environment to develop their sporting talent and could help keep children away from the streets.
He also expects the project to create employment opportunities, including jobs such as ball boys, while businesses and property around the facility are already gaining value.
Ezekiel says residents had for years endured dust and lacked a suitable stadium despite the region’s sporting potential.
He believes Taita Taveta has considerable talent but that many young people lost direction because there was no proper facility where their abilities could be nurtured.
From student attachment to employment
For Nicholas Mwavula, the affordable housing project has provided a direct transition from training to employment.
The Voi resident, who studied at Taita Taveta National Polytechnic, joined the Voi Pool Affordable Housing project for his industrial attachment.
He completed three months of attachment, left for a month and was later called back and employed.
Nicholas now works as a fundi after gaining experience in electrical and masonry work. He says his salary has enabled him to support himself and meet his needs as a young person.
He credits the project with giving him both practical skills and an opportunity to enter the workforce.
Nicholas has appealed to President William Ruto to continue bringing similar projects to Taita Taveta, saying they can provide employment for more young people.
He says the development has already enabled many people to earn a living and support their families while contributing to the growth of the county.
Stadium project puts money into local economy
The stadium is also providing an immediate source of income for residents even before its completion.
Monica Ndambero, a Voi resident and single mother, says she has benefited from employment at the construction site.
She supplements her income by selling household products such as soap and Jik, but says business can be unpredictable because some customers cannot afford to buy the products every day.
Employment at the stadium has therefore provided her with a more reliable source of income to meet her daily needs.
Monica says President Ruto’s decision to bring the stadium project to Voi has given residents something meaningful to look forward to.
She hopes similar projects will continue to come to the county and create more employment opportunities.
She recalls that before the project, many residents faced daily economic difficulties, with people being mobilised through the village elder whenever work opportunities became available.
Beyond employment, Monica expects the completed stadium to change the sporting fortunes of the county.
She says children from Taita Taveta will be able to play competitive matches at home instead of travelling to Mombasa or Nairobi, while teams from the two cities could also travel to Voi for games.
Tarmac opens up farmers’ markets
For Ibrahim Chavucha Mkarim, the construction of a tarmac road has transformed movement and business in his area.
The resident, who was born and raised in the area, says vehicles, motorcycles and bicycles can now move with greater ease without the constant risk of getting stuck, particularly during rainy periods.
He says the road connects the area from the bypass towards Emali and Nairobi, making it easier for vehicles to pass through the market, collect goods and continue towards Mombasa.
Farmers and traders, he adds, can now transport livestock, tomatoes, bananas and other produce more efficiently because the road is tarmacked from Mwatate through the area and onwards towards Emali.
Ibrahim, however, says improved roads should be accompanied by stronger market linkages.
He hopes the government will support marketing initiatives that can bring buyers and brokers directly to the area, allowing them to use lorries to collect tomatoes, bananas and other agricultural produce.
He also wants industries and companies to be established in the area, arguing that the improved road network provides the infrastructure needed to attract investment and create jobs for young people.
Ibrahim recalls that residents had spent many years without a tarmac road and that vehicles frequently became stuck.
For some residents, he says, the arrival of tarmac has been a new experience, opening possibilities for easier movement and stronger local commerce.
300 youths benefit from stadium works
Siminglton Mjomba, another Taita Taveta resident, says the stadium is already having an economic impact, with about 300 young people securing work at the construction site.
He says the income earned by workers is circulating within the community as they spend money on food and other necessities, benefiting mama mbogas, boda boda riders and other small businesses.
Siminglton believes the completed stadium will provide young footballers with a proper platform to develop their skills and gain exposure.
He says many talented players have remained underrated because they lacked quality pitches where they could train and compete.
However, he wants the investment in sporting infrastructure to extend beyond football.
Siminglton is calling for additional facilities, including a dome or theatre space where rappers, poets, dancers and other entertainers can practise and showcase their talents.
Before the stadium project, he says footballers had to contend with unsuitable grounds, potholes and a lack of proper facilities for spectators.
Many unemployed young people, he adds, spent time at bases without productive spaces where they could develop their talents, while entertainers also lacked venues for performances and events.
He expects the completed stadium to stimulate the wider county economy by attracting competitions and visitors, increasing demand for accommodation and food and boosting local trade.
For the residents interviewed, the projects represent more than roads, houses and sporting facilities. They are seen as investments capable of changing how people move, work, trade and develop their talents.
As construction continues, residents are looking beyond the immediate benefits and calling for more investment in roads, markets, industries, sports and creative facilities to ensure the emerging opportunities translate into long-term economic growth for Taita Taveta.
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