Vote leadership that will ensure progress of State projects - CS Macharia

Transport Cabinet Secretary James Macharia has appealed to Murang’a residents to vote for a government that will ensure the continuity of ongoing projects and programmes.

Macharia who is also the acting water cabinet secretary following the resignation of former cabinet secretary Sicily Kariuki on Thursday toured the Kiharu constituency where he commissioned two water projects.

The projects implemented by philanthropist Karanja Mburu Wamatangi involved two 250,000-litre community water tanks that will serve about 20,000 people each.

Macharia underscored the need for locals to vote wisely saying many of the ongoing government projects risk stalling if the ‘right’ government does not win.

This, he said, includes the Sh. 14 billion Kenol Sagana Marua dual carriageway that is 82 kilometres long and is 75 per cent complete, and the Sh. 30 billion Mau Mau roads that cover 540 kilometres from Limuru in Kiambu through Murang’a and end at Ihururu in Nyeri.

The CS confirmed that the Mau Mau roads that have seen areas nearing the Aberdare forest open up and boosted the economy are 50 per cent done.

“People have been waiting since independence for these roads to be done. Some of our forefathers used the roads to get into the forests to fight colonialists and did not come back. It is in their memory that the government is doing the roads,” he said.

Macharia who hails from Kigumo constituency urged locals to ensure they vote in leaders who have their interests at heart from the MCA seat to the Presidency.

He lobbied for Karanja who is vying for the Kiharu MP seat under the Jubilee ticket saying he is the best bet for residents.

“I support Karanja as a candidate as he is the one who will ensure Kiharu moves forward,” he said, lauding him for investing in water projects.

He assured residents that the government will ensure about 10,000 cubic metres of water are supplied to their homes after the completion of the Northern Collector tunnel which will boost water supply to Nairobi by 142,000 cubic metres of water daily.

On his part, Karanja noted that he has partnered with Murang’a Water and Sanitation Company (Muwasco) to build four communal tasks to boost water coverage in the vast constituency.

Karanja who resigned as a Lappset director to vie for the seat lauded the CS for availing himself to commission the two projects.

“I have now built four community tanks costing Sh. 7 million each and 102 tanks in primary schools and I am hoping to cover all primary schools to ensure pupils are not sent to fetch water,” he said.

The tanks done in primary schools harvest rainwater and do not require water to be pumped into them like the communal ones which cost more to build.

He said Kiharu people are hardworking and only require water for irrigation to become food secure.

“What they need is a government that connects their homes with water. I am here to represent Kiharu and I will lobby for everything they need”.

“There are some unfinished roads and the CS has assured us that they will complete if the Azimio La Umoja government takes over,” he said, adding that locals will get more projects if leaders don’t fight with the national government.

Area MP Ndindi Nyoro is a staunch supporter of deputy president William Ruto and has publicly criticized the leadership of President Uhuru Kenyatta.