Gachuha: After 64 years of isolation, residents of Gachuha village in Githioro Ward, Kipipiri Sub County are celebrating a long-awaited transformation, the construction of its first road and the near completion of the Gachuha Bridge, connecting residents to essential services and boosting economic activity.
According to Kenya News Agency, the mountainous region, cut through by the Tulasha and Malewa rivers, has for generations relied on swinging steel rods and wooden footbridges to link neighbouring villages. The Gachuha Bridge-a 40-metre flagship project hailed by locals as 'a legacy intervention of our lifetime'-is poised to change that reality.
The bridge connects Tulasha village and Githiriga villages in Kipipiri subcounty. The just-graded road also connects Nyandarua County to Nakuru County via Gilgil town which is a great consumer of farm produce from Kipipiri Sub County. Samuel Kariuki, a resident since 1961, recalled that not a single day in those decades had a vehicle reached his home-until now, following the opening of a new road and the ongoing construction of the Gachuha Bridge.
'For the first time, we are now fully connected to the world. And with the expected completion of this bridge, our lives will never be the same,' said Kariuki. Inspecting the works, Nyandarua Governor Dr. Moses Kiarie Badilisha, accompanied by Githioro MCA Isaac Mbae and Wanjohi MCA Isaac Kung'u, reaffirmed his administration's commitment to connecting even the most marginalized areas. The governor noted that they are recreating a greater Nyandarua through accessible road network, market linkages, and enhanced competitiveness.
MCA Mbae described the bridge as a 'lifeline' that will ease travel, boost trade, and improve access to essential services. His sentiments were echoed by MCA Kung'u, who urged the national government to allocate more funds to counties to help implement such mega projects. 'This bridge is proof of what devolution can achieve when resources are channelled to priority areas,' he added.
Once complete, the Gachuha Bridge is expected to serve as a vital artery linking communities, enabling economic growth, and ending decades of isolation for the residents of Gachuha and beyond.