Garissa residents have given the government a seven-day ultimatum to stop excavating communal land to construct a Sh15 billion road (see Page 15).
President Uhuru Kenyatta commissioned construction during his tour of North Eastern at the weekend but the community argues it was not consulted in advance by Kenha and it wants compensation.
For years local people have been asking government to tarmac the Nuno-Mogadashe road that runs to Ethiopia via Moyale or Rhamu. The road will open new frontiers for trade with Ethiopia and create jobs locally. The community want an impact assessment report from Nema but is that necessary when government is tarmacking an existing road? And if the community was worried, why didn’t they commission an environmental report before demanding that government tarmac the road.
Regions elsewhere have donated land for schools and public amenities. Garissa should take the same attitude. This road will benefit them more than anyone else. They should not try and turn it into a cash cow.
