Makutano, Sagana, Kiangwaci and Kibingoti towns in Kirinyaga County, which are along the proposed Kenol- Marua dual carriage road, are set to get a facelift as a benefit from the mega project.
Area Deputy Governor, Peter Ndambiri said the towns will be paved and improved to better standards as the construction of the multi-billion project gets under way.
He said the arrangement is already in a biding MOU which will ensure the aforementioned towns benefited through a facelift.
Ndambiri was responding to complaints by residents of Kibingoti town that their facility had been abandoned by the county government.
The official who spoke to the media after a tour of the area on Tuesday assured the residents that once the construction works for the dual carriage road began, the towns would simultaneously be getting the facelift.
“I can assure you those Mama mbogas who hawk their commodities within these towns will no longer be exposed to the rains or harsh weather conditions once the said modernization takes place,” he said.
The residents had complained that their markets were filthy while there were no toilets or running water yet their business was food-based, which required highest hygiene standards.
“As a county government we have tried our best despite the meager resources which we get allocated by the Treasury but the situation will soon change for the better once this project gets underway, this I can tell you for a fact,”Ndambiri said.
He also said under the leadership of Governor Anne Waiguru, he was optimistic there will be no more accumulation of uncollected garbage as measures have been put in place to address the matter.
But Ndambiri cautioned, “Much as we improve on garbage collection, traders must be wary of how they dispose of waste from their farm produce so that we appear working towards having a clean working environment,” he said.
The construction of the 88-kilometre dual carriage road is set to start any time from now, according to the Kenya National Highways Authority.
The Kenya National Highway Authority (KeNHA), Director General, Peter Mundinia said the Sh.30 billion required for the mega project has been sourced from the African Development Bank.
“With all the necessary arrangements about the project having been put in place, the contractor is expected on site by this July to commence the works immediately,” the official said.
He also assured the Kirinyaga political leadership the project will be undertaken from Kenol in Murang’a, through to Makutano, Sagana and to Marua as initially planned adding the matter stood concluded.
“This project is meant to decongest the existing single road where many accidents have occurred due to heavy traffic and also make vehicles move steadily to and from Marua where dual carriage will end,” he added.
By Irungu Mwangi
