The government has tarmacked a three-kilometre road in Gatanga, Murang’a county, in honour of the late Kikuyu musician John De Mathew.
During the musician’s burial in August 2019, the President pledged to have the road, now known as the De Mathew Road, upgraded. He directed Transport Cabinet Secretary James Macharia to make plans to have it done.
De Mathew died on August 19, 2019, in a road accident near Thika town and was buried in Gathiru-ini village, Gatanga.
Residents welcomed Uhuru's pledge. This followed a request by Kigia wa Esther, also a musician, to have the road tarmacked as a way of commemorating their fallen colleague.
Godfrey Nyoike, a resident, said they were surprised by the President's move and welcomed it.
"We will forever remember De Mathew because he is the reason the road was tarmacked and we know he was a close friend of the President. We are happy that a tarmac road will find us right in our homes,” he said.
Nyoike noted that the road was in a poor state and made it hectic for them to travel. The area produces farm tea, coffee, avocado and dairy products and the roads will open it up and boost its economy.
“We have vehicles coming to collect our milk every morning, something they could not do because of its muddy state and boda boda accidents were numerous,” Nyoike said.
David Karanja, a boda bod rider, said they had to constantly conduct fundraisings for people involved in boda boda accidents.
Karanja asked the President to consider visiting the area to commission the road once it's completed.
Area MP Nduati Ngugi said the project is ongoing as the contract included two other local roads. He said Githioro-Gituamba road, which is 4km, and Kiama-Gatanga Girls road are also in the process of being tarmacked.
“The three projects will connect the area to Kiunyu-Mukurwe road whose tarmacking is ongoing,” Nduati said.
Joseph Owino, the general foreman of the contractor doing the three roads, said residents have benefitted from both casual and skilled labour.
The contractor is on course as 67 per cent of the 9.5km has been done under 47 per cent of the scheduled time.
The MP said with the roads done, residents will be able to market their farm produce and boost their financial wellbeing.
He hailed the government for implementing numerous road projects in the constituency, including the 68km long Gataka-ini Njabi-ini highway that will connect Murang’a and Nyandarua.
The highway, costing Sh3 billion, will act as a bypass for those travelling from the Central region to the Rift Valley and enhance intercounty trade.
The highway has caused the price of agricultural food products to go down as it has eased transportation to the market.
Previously, a container of potatoes sourced from Nyandarua cost Sh800 in Gatanga but is now selling at about Sh300 despite the fact that the highway has not been completed.
“This is an indication that when it’s completed, it will be of major help to Gatanga people,” the MP said.
Under the Sh30 billion Mau Mau road project, another road is being tarmacked from Ndiara Kiria-ini Kahunyo to Wanduhi costing Sh1 billion.
Nduati said the many ongoing projects indicate that the ardent support he has accorded the President has been bearing fruit. He vowed to continue supporting the Jubilee administration.
