- The tarmacking of Sh800 million 15-kilometer Mang’u- Bob Harris Road has brought lots of changes.
- The road that was tarmacked by Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KeRRA) was in a sorry state, causing hue and cry from locals.
Image: JOHN KAMAU
A few years ago, Kiahuria, Ndarugu, Kwa Ndumbi and Mutuma villages in Juja and Gatundu North constituencies were deserted areas until the recent completion of a key road linking up the region.
Despite being the bypass entry to the vast two sub-counties in Kiambu County, inaccessibility to the villages turned them into ghost villages leaving huge chunks of undeveloped land occupied by bushes.
However, the tarmacking of Sh800 million 15-kilometer Mang’u- Bob Harris Road has brought lots of changes.
The road that was tarmacked by Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KeRRA) was in a sorry state, causing hue and cry from locals.
“We used to suffer a lot before this road was built by the government. We would go kilometres away to access the tarmac and that made us miss key government services such as quality medication, education and security,” said Dickson Kamau, a resident.
Its upgrade to bitumen standards has since stimulated huge investments in the area that continue to change the outlook of the neglected villages, making the road transport network more efficient thereby increasing the quality of locals’ lives.
“A place we used to spend over one hour to get to is now accessible in minutes following completion of this road,” added Kamau.
Real Estate investments have already started cropping up in the region with residents putting up palatial homes, shopping malls, entertainment joints, recreational areas, and restaurants among other social amenities.
According to residents, other mega projects such as huge enterprises, gated communities and estates being put up in the area are expected to double the economic value of their lands and also result in the creation of jobs.
The key road that was serving as fodder for politicians wooing locals during the electioneering period is among other key amenities such as a railway line, water and electricity which residents say have begun turning the villages along the route into a new metropolitan.
Residents however called on the government to double water distribution for domestic use and irrigation purposes.
With improved developments in the area, residents said more Kenyans will be able to buy land and build homes uniquely suited to their family needs and preferences thereby helping the government achieve its affordable housing agenda.
Gerald Ndung’u, an architect and director at Herencia gated community, said with an organized community equipped with amenities befitting a contemporary lifestyle, residents can quickly settle unlike in places without quality access.
Image: JOHN KAMAU
“We thank the government for enabling more people to settle in places like this. The tarmac road we have in place transformed this area from nothing to what you can see today. Indeed, with proper infrastructure, people can settle anywhere with ease,” said Ndung’u.
Ndung'u noted that besides the real estate investments mushrooming in the region creating more jobs, they are going the extra mile in complementing the government's affordable housing efforts.
He noted that the majority of Kenyans seeking to own homes in the region have an upper hand since there are spacious undeveloped chunks which are liveable.
For increased settlement, the locals stated that most Kenyans are enjoying safe, secure and livable locations with a blend of city and countryside lifestyle.
The beneficiaries of government projects further called for the implementation of more infrastructural projects, financially empowering Kenyans to buy land and settle.
As of 2022, Kenya needed to build 250,000 units annually for at least four years to plug its cumulative housing deficit of two million units.
The dream, experts say, is still achievable with improved accessibility of rural areas where most investors are now rushing to put up houses owing to low land prices, serenity and tranquillity.