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ADVERTA long-awaited transport link between Siaya and Busia counties is edging closer to reality as construction of the Sh1.9 billion Dho-Goye Bridge at Usenge gathers pace.
The 200-metre bridge across River Yala is now about 75 per cent complete, putting the strategic project on course for commissioning early next year.
The bridge, being constructed along the Kisian–Usenge–Osieko (B10) corridor, is expected to dramatically improve movement between communities on both sides of the river while opening a faster route for goods, services and people moving towards Busia and the wider western Kenya region.
The project is being implemented under the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA), which has identified the construction of the Dho-Goye Bridge and its approach roads as a key national road infrastructure project. KeNHA’s 2024/25 annual report listed the bridge at 46 per cent physical progress during that reporting period, underlining the significant acceleration since then.
Beyond its engineering significance, Dho-Goye is expected to become a major economic artery for communities around Usenge, Osieko, Bondo and neighbouring parts of Busia.
ADVERTFor years, movement around the River Yala crossing has been vulnerable to disruption, particularly when water levels rise. The new structure is designed to provide a more reliable all-weather connection, easing the movement of agricultural produce, fish, livestock and other commodities.
The bridge is part of a wider effort to improve the B10 corridor, with the project also incorporating upgrading of approximately 4.3 kilometres of approach roads to bitumen standards. Earlier technical information indicated that the bridge comprises five 40-metre spans supported by reinforced-concrete foundations.
Once operational, the infrastructure could substantially reduce delays and transport costs for traders who depend on the route to reach markets.
For fishermen and fish traders operating around the Lake Victoria shoreline, the improved connection is particularly significant. Faster and more predictable transport can mean less time on the road and quicker access to markets, an important advantage for highly perishable fish products.
The Dho-Goye crossing has long been regarded as one of the region’s important but neglected infrastructure needs.
The project gained renewed momentum after President William Ruto inspected the site during his October 2023 Nyanza tour and pledged to accelerate its completion. Government officials have subsequently undertaken inspections as construction progressed.
A December 2025 report quoted Deputy Chief of Staff Eliud Owalo highlighting the Sh1.9 billion project as one of the infrastructure investments expected to strengthen economic activity in the region, particularly through trade, tourism and fishing.
The latest progress therefore represents more than another construction project on the B10 road.
It signals the emergence of a potentially important Siaya–Busia economic corridor, connecting communities that have for decades relied on less dependable crossings and longer alternative routes.
The location of Dho-Goye gives the project an added strategic dimension.
River Yala empties into Lake Victoria around the Usenge area, placing the bridge within a zone with significant potential for fishing, aquaculture, tourism and lakeside commerce.
A dependable road connection could help link producers to consumers, improve access to landing sites and markets, and encourage private investment in businesses serving the growing movement of people and goods.
The benefits could also extend to farmers in the wider Bondo and Usenge hinterland, giving them easier access to markets in Siaya, Busia and beyond.
KeNHA has previously described bridge infrastructure as critical not only for connectivity but also for improving access to markets, healthcare, education, employment opportunities and emergency services.
When commissioned, the Dho-Goye Bridge is expected to strengthen the road network linking Siaya and Busia, while improving connections along the Kisian–Usenge–Osieko corridor.
For residents, the significance will be measured in shorter journeys and greater reliability.
For businesses, it could mean lower logistics costs and wider markets.
And for the region’s economy, the bridge could provide the missing piece of infrastructure needed to turn the strategic location of Usenge and Osieko into a stronger gateway for commerce around Lake Victoria.
With construction now reported at 75 per cent, attention is shifting from whether the bridge will be completed to how quickly the remaining works can be delivered and the promised commissioning achieved.
If completed on schedule early next year, the Sh1.9 billion Dho-Goye Bridge could become one of Siaya’s most consequential infrastructure investments—turning a historic bottleneck on River Yala into a new bridge to trade, mobility and opportunity.
Photo Courtesy: Phillip Onyango, KNA
