Kirinyaga County Government has promised to buy some land for cemetery purposes for the residents of Kianjiru village, in Baragwe Ward.
The government will also buy some more land to set up a market in the area after complaints from the residents over the lack of the two essential facilities.
Governor Anne Waiguru expressed shock on learning of the lack of the two facilities when she visited the village.
After receiving a brief over the dire situation from the area MCA David Mathenge, the governor directed that some land be identified in the area, which her administration will buy immediately.
Mathenge had emotionally told the governor how the residents bury their loved ones on their 50×100 village plots, some of which were now almost full of graves.
“My people in this village have not seen peace since they live next to the graves of their loved ones due to lack of a public cemetery in this village after the 12-acre land meant for the purpose got grabbed by an individual,” he said.
He said the land was to be subdivided into two portions one for the cemetery and the other one for a market but this never came to be.
Waiguru however, said since the process of reclaiming the land might take many years, the best option was for Mathenge and his people to identify anyone willing to sell his portion for public utility which will be bought by her administration.
“Once you have identified the land notify my office immediately and I will ensure we have bought for you even if you tell me it is available now,” Waiguru said.
She also promised to seek an audience with the relevant government agents and have a secondary school started at the local Kianjiru primary school grounds in an effort to reduce school dropout rate in the area.
Waiguru said having been briefed on how standard eight-drop outs cannot transit to secondary school due to the lack of the facility in the area she would have the matter treated with the urgency it deserved.
Children from the area have to walk all the way to Rwambiti, or Gakuo Secondary Schools, five kilometers away yet Kianjiru had enough land for the establishment of its own secondary section.
By Irungu Mwangi
