Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has told Murang’a residents that the government has allocated Sh5 billion to construct local roads.
Kindiki, who spoke while attending an empowerment forum at Kamune in Mathioya, Murang’a county, said the funds have already been set aside and the projects will soon start.
On top of the list is the controversial Mau Mau roads project that has caused residents living near the Aberdare forest misery since it stalled in 2022.
The 540km project starts from Kiambu County and traverses Murang’a and Nyandarua counties before finally ending in Nyeri county.
It follows the routes used by Mau Mau fighters as they went in and out of the Aberdare forest to fight colonialists, and incorporates other feeder roads.
“We have allocated Sh2 billion for Mau Mau Lot 2 that connects Kangema and Mathioya subcounties and the contractors should be back on site soon,” he said.
Two weeks ago, residents of Kiruri area in Kangema demanded the reconstruction of the Kiruri-Kanyenya-ini road, which had started developing rough patches barely a month after it was constructed.
Kindiki, who has been a frequent visitor in the county, said Sh1.5 billion had been allocated to recarpet the 35km Murang’a-Gitugi road that connects Murang’a town to Nyeri county.
Another Sh1.5 billion, he said, will be used to construct Murang’a-Gatheru-Gitige road, which is 45km long.
Further, the Deputy President said the government will help construct a 1,250-bed hostel at Michuki National Polytechnic and another hostel with the capacity to accommodate 580 learners will be constructed at Mathioya Technical Training Institute.
“All these projects will be done by local youths as a source of employment. In the affordable housing project, we have employed over 200,000 youths,” he said, urging youths to take advantage of such projects to empower themselves.
He pledged that the government will also construct a Sh350 million market at the busy Kiria-ini shopping centre that is on the boundary of Murang’a and Nyeri counties.
The Kenya Kwanza government, Kindiki said, has been working tirelessly to ensure the economy is stabilised and the cost of living reduced.
Although it has not fully succeeded, the strides made have seen the cost of essential commodities reduced, like the cost of petrol that has dropped from Sh217 to Sh174 per litre while the cost of maize flour has reduced from Sh250 per 2kg packet to Sh150.
“The Covid-19 pandemic devastated the economy in a major way. We were in lockdown for one and a half years. This lessened economic activities and almost collapsed the economy”.
Since then, Kindiki said, the government has managed to strengthen the value of the shilling against the dollar from Sh177 to Sh129.
He added that the government has chosen to focus on development while disregarding naysayers inciting disquiet among Kenyans.
The Deputy President has visited Murang’a County five times since last month in what is being seen as a renewed attempt to recapture the region.
The county, formerly a strong UDA stronghold, has since turned into an opposition zone, with increasing disquiet fueled by the high cost of living.
The political occurrences have seen leaders split, with MP Ndindi Nyoro, formerly a strong ally of the President, cutting ties with the ruling party.
Nyoro was replaced as the chairperson of the Budget and Appropriation Committee in the National Assembly in a purge against allies of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua. His constituents have been urging him to vie for the presidency in 2027.
Other leaders who are no longer supporting the government include Senator Joe Nyutu, Joseph Munyoro (Kigumo), Chege Njuguna (Kandara), and Edward Muriu (Gatanga), while MPs Mary Waithera (Maragua), Peter Kihungi (Kangema), Betty Maina (Woman Representative) and Sabina Chege (nominated) remain allied to Kenya Kwanza.
