Thika residents who have been frustrated for long due to perennial drainage and accessibility challenges during rainy seasons are a relieved after Kiambu County government moved to address the challenges.
Governor James Nyoro during a meeting with MCAs from Thika East and West Sub Counties said his administration has put in place measures to accelerate development in the lower parts of the county as well as contingency measures to end flooding challenges in the areas.
The County government has since tasked a team from various departments to assess the situation in the five wards and excavators, graders and Lorries readied to commence drainage construction works and to repair roads.
This week, residents from Thika town, Ngoliba, Hospital and Kamenu wards protested over flooding saying parts of their houses had been submerged by flood water and were uninhabitable.
Some complained that they have been displaced from their homes by floods while others said roads were impassable, constraining them indoors. They attributed the flooding to poor drainage in the Sub County.
“We will now move with a team from the infrastructure, environment and planning departments to monitor the impact of the floods. Graders will be dispatched to affected areas to improve the roads. Drainage canals will also be dug on affected areas to reduce flooding,” said Kamenu MCA Raphael Chege.
Chege said flooding interventions will be done in all the affected wards within the shortest time to end suffering of residents.
He said they had also agreed to set aside a Contingency Fund to help those affected by floods in the county, saying residents were overstretched due to the financial effects of Coronavirus.
Nominated MCAs John Njiru and Jane Waithera called on the county government to consider implementing more development projects in Thika Sub County given that the town is the highest contributor of County revenue.
“We expect the re-carpeting of Thika CBD roads to be completed after the rains. We need to have value for the revenue that we generate,” said Njiru.
By Muoki Charles
