Residents of Athena in Thika town joined hands with their local leaders, armed with slashers and shovels, to clear bushes to give way to graders to dig the new access roads, ending years of agony while accessing their homes.
Led by their Member of County Assembly Mr. Kenneth Mwangi, the residents, most of them plot owners, lamented that they have been neglected by previous administrations, and that it has been a challenge for them to access their homes.
Patrick Ngugi, a resident in one of the rising estates in Thika town said they had no passable road, and were forced to leave their vehicles and motorbikes at the nearby shopping centre about a kilometer away and walk to their homes.
He added that during times of fire outbreak or emergencies that required quick interventions, it was difficult to access the area due to the poor road network.
“Even our friends were not keen on visiting us, because there were no roads. Those who had vehicles had to leave them at the nearby shopping centre and walk,” said Ngugi.
Esther Njeri, another resident, said they used to live a lonely life surrounded by bushes, which sometimes would attract snakes and other reptiles in their homes.
Njeri said the lack of roads was a security risk, as muggers would hide in the bushes and attack them at night.
“Even if one raised an alarm, only a handful of people would respond as there were no roads,” she said.
Mwangi, who is also the Kiambu County Assembly Transport Committee chair said he took the initiative after several complaints of insecurity and inaccessibility from residents, adding that the construction of the access roads would open the area to trade and investment.
“For instance, the value of plots in Athena after grading of the access roads have shot up by close to Sh1 million. The area has also been connected to the neighboring Weitethie in Juja Sub County,” he said.
He said working closely with other MCAs, they will ensure all areas in the County that have no roads will be graded to open them up. He said he plans to grade close to 10 kilometers of access roads in his Thika township ward.
By Muoki Charles
