• The original route passed through Mioro-Ruru-Kiamuturi area but it was changed to go through Mioro-Kairo-Kiamuturi.
• The new route cut off about six kilometres and excluded some shopping centres.
Image: Alice Waithera
Residents of Mathioya subcounty in Murang’a have protested a move by the Kenya National Highways Authority to change the design of the Sh30 billion Mau Mau road.
The 540km road, meant to honour Mau Mau freedom fighters, is designed to connect four counties – Kiambu, Murang’a, Nyeri and Nyandarua.
Residents on Saturday accused Kenha of altering the design without consulting them. They said that the actual route used by Mau Mau fighters was through Mioro-Ruru-Kiamuturi but that the road has been changed to pass through Mioro-Kairo-Kiamuturi.
During a public participation forum at Mioro shopping centre, residents said they will block the construction if the design is not reverted to the original route.
The changed design, they said, cut off about six kilometres from the road and excluded some trading centres.
They said if the intention of the road was to honour Mau Mau fighters, then the government should ensure the road followed the exact route the fighters used to fight colonialists.
Resident John Muchiri said the original route will serve more people.
Trouble started when Kenha officials announced that the road will pass through Mioro-Kairo-Kiamuturi.
It took the intervention of Mathioya MP Peter Kimari and local administrators to calm the irate residents.
The MP said he would follow up on the matter and that the Ministry of Transport had pledged to have the road re-designed to incorporate residents’ views.
“I have talked to officials in the ministry, and they have promised to ensure the original route is followed,” he said.
The meeting was the last to be conducted by Kenha in Murang’a regarding the road that will start in Limuru, Kiambu, and end in Nyeri, covering four counties.
Last week in Gatanga, residents lauded the government for the road, saying it will help open up more markets for their agricultural produce.
At a public participation forum at Gatura shopping centre, residents said the road will make it easier for people to traverse the Central region with ease and open up rural areas.
They, however, requested Kenha to ensure contractors protect the environment, especially while working on the Gatura-Njabi-ini road, which connects Murang’a to Nyandarua and Nakuru through the Aberdare Forest.
Gatanga MP Nduati Ngugi said Gatura-Ndaka-ini road will also be rehabilitated as part of the Mau Mau road project.
During a tour of the road in December, Transport CS James Macharia said the government was constructing the road to honour the Mau Mau fighters.
Macharia said the fighters used the route as they fought colonialists.
The road will be constructed in four concurrent phases to hasten its completion.
The CS said the road itself is 462km long but that the government is also upgrading artery roads that join it to maximise its economic effect.
Construction is expected to be commissioned by President Uhuru Kenyatta in all affected counties.