Kilifi upgrades two roads linking Malindi and Watamu tourism corridor

Kilifi County is stepping up investment in roads linking Malindi and Watamu, with Governor Gideon Mung’aro saying improved connectivity will help unlock tourism, trade and investment along one of the Coast’s key economic corridors.

Mung’aro on Tuesday commissioned the latest phases of the Kijiwetanga–Jacaranda and Kizingo–Jacaranda roads, both of which are being upgraded to bitumen standard.

The projects are expected to improve access between communities, farms, hotels and businesses around Ganda, Jacaranda and Watamu, while providing alternative links to the two major tourist towns.

The Kijiwetanga–Jacaranda road runs through Ganda Ward and connects the area towards the Jacaranda beach tourism zone. The county has been implementing the project in phases, with Phase III listed among its 2026 road projects.

Mung’aro said the Kijiwetanga road fulfilled a commitment he made to residents four years ago to upgrade the road from an unpaved route to bitumen standard.

“Today, I returned to officially hand over the road, not with another promise, but with delivery,” the governor said.

He said the improved road would make it easier for farmers, traders and residents to access markets while reducing transport challenges.

Mung’aro also linked the investment to the area’s tourism potential, saying better roads would improve access for visitors and create opportunities for businesses and investors.

The Kizingo–Jacaranda road in Watamu Ward is being upgraded under a separate phase of the county’s road programme. County planning documents list Phase II of the project among roads earmarked for bitumen upgrading, alongside drainage works.

Mung’aro said the road would strengthen the link between Ganda and Watamu and improve access for residents, farmers and traders.

He also pointed to the concentration of hotels and other tourism businesses around Jacaranda, saying better road access would make it easier for visitors to reach the area.

The two projects form part of a broader push to improve road connectivity around Kilifi’s tourism belt, where Malindi and Watamu remain important destinations for the county’s hospitality industry.

Earlier county officials described the Kijiwetanga–Jacaranda link as an important shortcut for tourists travelling from Malindi International Airport to beach hotels around Jacaranda and Watamu.

Former Kilifi County protocol officer Kazungu John described the area as a gateway to Malindi, arguing that improved roads would elevate the status of the surrounding towns and strengthen their economic links.

The improved connectivity could also benefit residents who depend on agriculture and small businesses, allowing easier movement of produce and goods between rural communities, trading centres and the tourism market.

For the hospitality industry, the roads offer an easier movement between Malindi, Watamu and the beach properties located along the corridor.

Mung’aro said the county was seeking to ensure that infrastructure investment keeps pace with the growth of Kilifi’s tourism economy.

“These investments will make travel smoother and more reliable for residents, farmers and traders, while giving Jacaranda’s hotels and enterprises better access to one of Kilifi’s leading tourism destinations,” he said.

The projects now put road connectivity at the centre of Kilifi’s effort to link its tourism destinations more efficiently while extending the economic benefits of the Malindi–Watamu corridor to communities along the route.