The Kiambu County government has commenced the repair of roads damaged by recent floods in Juja South Estate and Gwa Kigwi villages, located in Juja sub-county.
This five-kilometer stretch had deteriorated significantly after heavy rains made the area impassable. Earthmovers have been deployed by the county government to upgrade the road to murram standards, with future plans to pave the road that will connect Juja-Juja Farm Road to the Thika Superhighway.
Godfrey Mucheke, the MCA for Kalimoni ward and Majority Leader at the Kiambu County Assembly, expressed during his inspection of the rehabilitation work that the condition of this road has been a longstanding issue for local residents.
He emphasized that improving the road will not only address local challenges but also encourage investment and facilitate development in the area, enabling landowners to utilize their parcels effectively.
“As Kiambu County Government administration which is headed by Governor Kimani Wamatangi, we have adopted a new strategy that will see rehabilitation of thousands of kilometres of roads across the 60 wards in the county. This administration has dropped the archaic contractual method of doing works and instead has procured machinery that are being used in the revamping works thereby saving on costs and time as well as ensuring more roads are done,” he said.
The MCA called on residents to be patient as the works are being undertaken in all wards adding that once complete, transport will be improved, businesses will boom thereby improving the county’s economy.
Heavy rains
Locals led by Victor Ngiyai hailed the project as a godsend noting that it was long overdue as they have suffered for long. Ngiyai said that accessing the villages has been a tall order due to the pathetic state of the road.
“It has been tough for us who live here as we have had to struggle with clouds of dust and mud during heavy rains. Many have been caught up in accidents courtesy of the potholes that were there. The movement crisis has seen so many stop developing their parcels but we are now optimistic that this will be a thing of the past,” said Ngiyai.
He averred that besides enhancing accessibility, property value in the villages will increase and also pave way for investments in the area that is characterised with large tracts of undeveloped land.
Transport charges
Francis Maina, a boda boda rider also welcomed the project noting that they have for long incurred huge losses in their business due to the poor state of the road.
“Our motorbikes have been wearing down frequently. Hardly a week passes without visiting the mechanic, a situation that had forced us to hike transport charges to meet tear and wear and fuel costs. This is now in the past after the road was done and we hope this will also be done in other areas in the county,” said Maina.
The Kiambu County government has procured machinery including trucks, rollers, buckles and graders among others which are being used to rehabilitate roads that were damaged by the rains.
