Residents, leaders appeal for completion of stalled Mau Mau road

Murang’a, Thursday, May 11, 2023

KNA by Bernard Munyao

Residents from upper parts of Murang’a that borders Aberdare forests have pleaded with the government to complete tarmacking of Mau Mau road.

They decried that the road has stalled since last year leaving it in a bad state thus paralyzing transport in the tea growing areas.

Construction of Mau Mau road which connects four counties kicked off in 2019 but stalled last year after the contractor failed to get his payment.

The residents claimed that the road connecting Kiambu, Murang’a, Nyeri and Nyandarua counties is currently in bad shape wishing the contractor could have not started the works.

They argued that the initial murram road was better than the current situation after the contractor did earth works. 

The Sh530 billion road that was a flagship project of the former government was aimed at easing transport in tea growing areas that border Aberdare forests.

The government promised to upgrade the road as a way of commemorating freedom fighters and boost economic activities between counties in East and west of Aberdares.

During the ongoing rains, the residents decry that they have been forced to change routes to avoid using it since it has become too slippery and dangerous considering the road cuts across hilly terrain.

Mary Kamau from Ichichi said selling their tea has also become a nightmare as tea collecting trucks took too long to get to buying centres, forcing them to wait at the centres till late hours.

“We can’t sleep at night as we listen to vehicles struggling to pass through the slippery and muddy road. The state of the road is causing us untold agony,” she added.

John Karanja, a boda boda rider from Kiruri area, said fare from the area to Kangema town has doubled due to the poor status of the road.

“We previously charged Sh300 but now the fare is Sh600 as we have to pass through some parts of Kiharu constituency to avoid the slippery road especially when it rains,” he said

Kangema MP Peter Kihungi said he has been to the Ministry of Transport to appeal for the completion of the roads but unfortunately he was told there were no funds.

The MP now wants the government to compel the contractor to put murram on the deteriorating road before funds are released to have the project completed.

“I’ve been to the Ministry and they have said they don’t have money. The contractor has also said he cannot use his money to murram the road as that is not part of the contract he has with the government,” said Kihungi.

“We just want these roads to become all-weather and the only thing they need to do is instruct the contractor to use some of the contract’s funds to marram some sections of road so as to ease transport. We understand the financial challenges the government is undergoing and will wait for its completion,” he added.

By the end of 2021, only 10 kilometres out of the 153km stretch that Kenya National Highways Authority is constructing in Murang’a as part of the Mau Mau road project had been tarmacked.

Courtesy; K.N.A