FAVOURING PARTS OF KENYA
Most of the major roads in Mount Kenya region, which were in pathetic shape five years ago, are being rebuilt.
And once complete, the exhausting journey from the region to Nairobi will now be smooth all the way.
Today, travelling from Nyeri to Nairobi takes long due to a 15-kilometre bumpy stretch between Marua and Karatina in Nyeri.
The stretch is part of the Murang’a-Sagana-Karatina-Marua road, which is being rebuilt by Kirinyaga Construction Company. The same company is also rebuilding the Chaka-Sagana State Lodge-Giagatika section.
The section connects the Nyeri-Nairobi highway at Giagatika.
Horticultural produce
In the rest of the district, roads are fairly good though very few have tarmac. A road like Mweiga-Endarasha-Watuka has no tarmac but is graded with murram. The area where most of the horticultural produce sold in Nairobi, Mombasa and other big towns is grown, is always good for motorists in all seasons.
The same case applies to roads connecting Kabaru/Ngathi area and Nyeri Town where similar crops are grown.
Elsewhere, highways connecting the larger Meru, Embu and Mbeere districts as well as Mwea Division of Kirinyaga District have been under reconstruction for the last few years.
These highways include Meru-Nkubu-Chuka road and Runyenjes-Embu-Makutano road. They all connect the four areas to the capital city.
Steep and rocky
Besides resealing these highways, which are being reconstructed by different companies, the contractors are also broadening them.
The steep and rocky Meru-Nkubu-Chuka road, which was constructed in the late 1980’s, joins Runyenjes-Embu-Makutano road from Thuci River. This is the main highway to Nairobi and is used to transport Miraa (khat) to Wilson Airport in Nairobi.
Khat is grown mainly in Nyambene District, also known as Meru North, where roads are in good condition.
The Maua-Meru road linking the khat growing area with Meru town was reconstructed recently.
Roads connecting the inner regions with Maua Town, which is the district headquarters, are in good shape and are passable during the rainy season.
Most of the major roads leading to Meru town are better compared to other areas in the region.
Recently the road between Isiolo junction and Meru Town, which is part of Meru-Isiolo-Nanyuki road, was redone and completed.
This is the major highway connecting Meru and the towns of Isiolo, Nanyuki and Nyeri.
However, the road between Nanyuki Town and Isiolo junction has remained with potholes for many years.
In the larger Murang’a zone, some of the roads connecting small urban centres to the district headquarters are in poor state though three are being constructed.
Murang’a-Kahuro road and Murang’a-Sagana road, in Murang’a North District are bumpy. The latter is under rehabilitation, but the former, a 17-kilometre stretch linking the tea-growing areas to the town, has been neglected, yet it was one of the best roads in the district 10 years ago.
And the Murang’a-Kiria-ini road, which was resealed late last year is wearing out.
Potholes have started emerging especially in the areas between Gakurwe market and Kiria-ini Town.
Kabati-Kagundu road and Kangari-Githumu-Kandara road in Murang’a South District all join the Sagana-Nairobi highway, which is the main road to the capital city.
In Murang’a North District people complain that priority is given to Kangema Division where a road connecting the division and neighbouring Mukurwe-ini division has been awarded Sh900 million for construction.
The road from St Mary’s Wanjere to Kangema Town is being tarmacked.
In Kirinyaga District, most of the roads in the interior are poorly maintained, but those linking the up-country to the main highways have been earmarked for construction.
Non-existent
Northern Eastern Kenya, also known as Upper Eastern region, has been neglected by successive governments.
It includes, Garissa, wajir, mandera, Isiolo Marsabit and Moyale districts where, save for the tarmac that ends in Isiolo Town from Nairobi, the rest of the area roads are almost non-existent.
This is pathetic................
