Since its inception, the Horn of Africa Gateway Development Project (HoAGDP) has significantly impacted the livelihoods of local communities in Isiolo and Meru counties. Settlements along the project route have experienced a population surge as people migrate across counties to seek employment at construction sites and camps. This influx has increased the demand for services, driving the growth of local businesses. Community members have established small enterprises such as food vending, rental accommodations, transportation services, barber shops, and pharmacies, contributing to the region’s economic expansion.
This surge in economic growth is most evident in towns along the road corridor, including Garbatulla, Kulamawe, Modogashe, Isiolo, Eldera, Boji, Kachiuru, Ndumuru, and Gambela, among others.
Halima Roba, a food vendor who operates her small eatery in Garbatulla town, is one of the many beneficiaries of the HoAGDP project. Previously, she served approximately 15 to 20 customers daily. However, this number has now increased to an estimated 50 to 60 customers per day, the majority of whom are HoAGDP project workers.
“I thank the road project because it has really boosted me in terms of business. I used to throw away food due to lack of customers to sale to. I am very happy that today, thanks to the project sometimes my food is sold out by six O’clock in the evening. Customers often complain that they’ve missed supper.”
Halima’s small eatery has also created employment opportunities, with four full-time workers—two cooks, one waiter, and one cashier. They report to work daily from early morning until evening. Many HoAGDP project workers in the area, who receive a two-hour lunch break, frequently dine in Garbatulla town. However, when these workers take breaks to visit their families or when work is halted due to unforeseen events such as demonstrations, Halima experiences direct losses in her business due to the reduced customer flow.
“When they [project workers] are not around, we go out of business. Only a few locals are left behind. So, we pray for the project to continue,” Halima narrates.
Fatuma Abdi, another business owner in Garbatulla town, has also benefited from the road project. She runs a retail shop in the town center and, like Halima, attributes her increased daily earnings to the project. Her goods now sell faster than before, and she notes that the project has significantly improved the transportation of goods between Garbatulla and Modogashe.
“Nowadays my stock doesn’t last. I usually buy new stock every week, especially for the perishable goods like food stuffs. The number of customers has really gone up. Before the road project came, we used to sale to very few people in this town. I have personally seen the benefits of the project,” says Fatuma.
The transport sector has improved significantly, thanks to the regular maintenance of existing roads. Before the HoAGDP project, residents traveled between Garbatulla and Modogashe in lorries due to the lack of bus services. However, this has changed with the introduction of a daily mini-bus (matatu) operating on the route.
The matatu service, run by MEISO Sacco, now provides residents with safer and more affordable transportation. The Sacco has also established new booking offices in Garbatulla. According to Ali Abdi Said, a staff member at the Sacco, the project has greatly enhanced transportation in the region.
“Due to the project, the matatu business is thriving. Vehicle maintenance costs have also decreased since the road is now in good condition. Our drivers take less time to travel from Garbatulla to Modogashe, a route where no matatu had ever operated before. Additionally, the transportation of goods, especially milk products, in and out of Garbatulla town has significantly improved,” says Abdi.
Beyond boosting local businesses, the project has also improved access to water and other social services. Boreholes have been drilled, and
water pans constructed, benefiting both the project and the local communities along the route. A significant portion of the local population consists of nomadic pastoralists who depend on these water sources for their livestock. This has reduced the burden of trekking long distances in search of water, easing their daily challenges.
The water sources established by the HoAGDP project are also used for domestic purposes such as laundry, cooking, washing, and drinking. Additionally, some local residents have shifted from pastoralism to farming, utilizing the water for irrigation.
A case study of Gambela village highlights the impact of a single borehole. In this community, former pastoralists have successfully cultivated crops using water from the Gambela KM 12 borehole, showcasing how improved water access is transforming livelihoods.
Madina Godana, a resident of Gambela, is among the many farmers witnessing the transformation brought about by improved water access.
“We have now become farmers. I grow all kinds of crops—vegetables, maize, beans, groundnuts, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, and even onions. I can sell my produce at a profit and pay school fees for my children. Plus, I no longer need to buy food from the market because I have enough on my farm. Thanks to KeNHA and the World Bank for bringing us this gift,” Madina explains.
The borehole in Gambela was drilled as part of the Horn of Africa Gateway Development Project (HoAGDP) to supply water during the upgrading of the Isiolo–Garbatulla–Modogashe road to bitumen standards. It is one of many boreholes established along the route to benefit both the project and local communities. In Lot 1 alone, covering the 77 km stretch from Isiolo to Kulamawe, the project has so far drilled 13 boreholes.
The economic benefits of the HoAGDP project extend far beyond road construction, even at this early stage. Communities have engaged with the project in multiple ways, driving a diverse model of economic growth. Key milestones include the expansion of local businesses such as the boda boda transport industry, hospitality, and farming; the provision of essential resources like water; and improved access to social services through better transportation infrastructure.
