Roads and streets connecting various areas and estates within Murang’a have been given a facelift with the development aimed to boost businesses and revenue generation.
Murang’a Municipal Board has utilized Sh. 50 million to tarmac roads and streets and residents will now have an opportunity to start doing businesses in some parts of the town which were previously inaccessible. The roads are also connecting various government and private offices thus improving access to services.
The boards Infrastructure chairperson Ms Judith Maina said the tarmacked roads will help creation of more areas of doing business within Murang’a town. “Opening up the streets will also create more parking areas thus giving the county government a chance to collect more revenue through parking fees,” added Maina.
The Municipal Manager, Sam Njogu stated that some of the roads which are being tarmacked include the one connecting Kenya power company offices, the street behind Magunas supermarket and another road connecting Murang’a County Level-5 hospital. Njogu observed that the targeted roads have not been tarmacked since inception of the town during the colonial era.
“The upgrading of the roads is the first one since the inception of this town during colonial times. The roads will attract business people to invest and open up the town. Murang’a town is not that big but with improved infrastructure, more businesses will crop up,” he added.
The county executive member for Physical planning and urban development Ms Sarah Masaki noted that the money was given by the World Bank to help develop the municipality. She said the county government was also seeking other partners to help improve the status of the town in terms of establishing leisure parks and installing street lights.
“We are in the process of improving the status of Murang’a town. Soon we will embark on doing street lighting so as to help our business people increase hours of working. Flowering programme is also in offing,” added Masaki.
Apart from the tarmacking of the roads, the municipal board has also constructed an ECDE centre and a social hall in Mukuyu market in the outskirts of Murang’a town.
Murang’a municipality Board was inaugurated in February 2019 and since then, it has been undertaking projects aimed to improve transport, garbage collection and upgrading of streets and matatu stations within the town.
Masaki said after Murang’a town, the board will start working on improving the status of other towns within the county including Kenol, Kangari, Kahuro and Kiriaini.
By Bernard Munyao
