The Kirinyaga Governor, Anne Waiguru has launched a massive rehabilitation of all dilapidated feeder roads within the Mwea Irrigation scheme.
While launching the 230 kilometres of the roads in the area on Tuesday, Waiguru assured the rice farmers that their produce would never again rot in the shambas due to the impassable roads.
She said out of the 230 kilometres earmarked for the rehabilitation, 70 such kilometres would be murrumed while 160 would be the normal grading works.
Waiguru shocked the residents when she announced that the launched massive roads works would be managed by the Chairman of the Mwea Irrigation Water Users Association, Morris Mutugi.
The announcement left the Thiba and Gathagiriri MCAs, Pius Njogu and Simon Waititu speechless.
The two leaders were also not allowed to speak to the gathering during the brief ceremony held at the nearby Kasarani graveyard.
She also directed her Lands CEC, Rev. Murimi Kajobe to explore the possibilities of acquiring an alternative land for use as a grave yard since the Kasarani one was rocky and filled up.
“We have learnt that grave diggers can hardly go below two feet and this kind of depth cannot be used to bury the dead. My government is ready to buy the alternative five acre land or excavate the existing one and fill it with red soil should we fail to secure another one,” she said.
The governor’s move comes in the wake of last weekend’s visit by the Head of State Uhuru Kenyatta who witnessed first hand the poor roads in the area.
Last Saturday, Uhuru encountered a muddy environment after a heavy down pour the previous night that left the Wang’uru stadium water logged.
He directed that all the roads within Ngurubani town be tarmacked latest from April in order to enable the rice traders carry out their business in a conducive environment.
It was Uhuru’s announcement that prompted Waiguru to also declare she would commence the rehabilitation of the roads within the scheme this week.
And true to her words, the program has commenced in earnest at the rate of 15 kilometres per days to the amusement of the rice farmers.
By Irungu Mwangi
