Mwea Member of Parliament Kabinga Wachira has said President Uhuru Kenyatta has achieved a lot for Mt Kenya region describing those who cannot see the development as either blind or jealous.
He said those opposing the BBI document are doing so to punish Uhuru for entering into handshake with Raila.
“It is this mindset that is fueling rebellion on the BBI document, those opposed intend to score a political point against the President, it is an act of defiance with the aim of satisfying their egos,” Wachira said.
He said Mt Kenya region will be the biggest loser if the document is rejected at the referendum.
Wachira was speaking to members of the public at Nyagithuci in Gichugu constituency during a public participatory meeting to deliberate on Sh1.2 billion water project currently being implemented in the area.
“We are now in a new era of working together as leaders from Kirinyaga County, we don’t fight the government, we work with the government, this is why we can witness the project of this magnitude in our locality,” Wachira said
The project funded by the African Development Bank at completion will provide clean drinking water to Kerugoya, Kutus, Kandogu, Sagana and other surrounding towns.
The Chief executive officer (CEO) Tana Water Works Development Agency Engineer Philip Gichuki said the project has a water delivery capacity of 30,000,000 cubic meters per day. He said on completion, the project is expected to serve 390,000 residents, 10 percent being urban dwellers largely in Kerugoya, Karia, Kutus, Kimicha, Kagio, Kandongu, and Sagana among others.
Gichuki said Phase one of the project did not capture provision of water to residents of Gichugu but phase 2 will accomplish that. “By 2022, 80 percent of Kirinyaga residents will have clean drinking water,” the CEO said adding all members of public along the pipeline will also be served with the commodity.
The area Member of Parliament Githinji Gichimu had earlier met the wrath of the public who accused him of sanctioning the project without their consideration despite the intake coming from their constituency.
“I urge you to air your concerns with sobriety, this is not a political meeting, it is a water development project meeting,” Gichimu told the charged residents.
Among concerns raised by various officials of the water projects from the area were that the diversion of such a big volume of water from the two rivers of Nyamindi and Karinga will disadvantage other water projects downstream.
Gichimu told his constituents that he has since communicated to the principal secretary Water Resources who has promised an additional project but from a different funding.
“The intake for this project will not affect the water flow for the other projects since a thorough research was carried out before the positioning of the intake,” he assured. He said the project has also provided an offtake where those who wish can connect and benefit from the intake.
by Irungu Mwangi
