MURANGA, Kenya, Dec 4 – Two members of the parliament from Mount Kenya region have raised concerns over delay in completion of Mau Mau link road.
Kangema MP Peter Kihungi and his Juja counterpart George Koimburi on Sunday called upon the national treasury to release funds for completion of the road that links Murang’a, Kiambu, Nyeri and Nyandarua counties.
They argued that in the recent assented supplementary budget, the amount allocated for the road was slashed from Sh. From Sh. 280 million to Sh. 175 million.
The legislator highlighted before the end of Jubilee administration, the road was allocated Sh. 4.5 billion and substantial works have been done on the ground.
Kihungi underscored the importance of completing the road owing to its economic advantage to the local community and the country at large.
He said the government should strive to ensure construction of Mau Mau road resumes as soon as possible since locals are complaining about stalling of the project.
Construction of Mau Mau road commenced during the last term of the Jubilee government but the works stalled last year due to shortage of funds.
The about 165 kilometre-road excluding tributaries was to consume about sh. 4.5 billion and was meant to commemorate Mau Mau war veterans as well as open up the Aberdares forest ecosystem.
The legislators spoke at Ndueni Full gospel church in Kangema during the thanksgiving ceremony of Kenyenyaini ward MCA, Grace Nduta.
On his part, Koimburi said they promised their people that the Mau Mau road will be completed once the Kenya Kwanza government assumes office.
He called upon the transport cabinet secretary to pump funds for completion of all the roads within Mount Kenya which are under construction.
Koimburi said within a period of six months, the works should resume failure to which they will mobilize residents to hold peace demonstrations in demand for funds for the road.
Kinyona MCA Liz Mbugua reflected how the uncompleted road has subjected locals to suffering especially during this period when the region is experiencing heavy rains.
She observed contractors left heaps of soil along the road thus paralyzing transport during the rainy season.
