Maua Town elevated to municipality
Meru Governor Kiraitu Murungi.
Maua town has been elevated to a municipality and will now be managed by a board.
The town will now receive Sh100 million annually from the World Bank-funded Kenya Urban Support Programme (KUSP).
Despite millions of shillings from miraa business flowing into the second largest town in Meru County, Maua is characterized by poor planning, lack of water and bad roads.
“We are aware of the challenges residents face in this town including lack of water, roads and sewerage but with the formation of the board, we will use the Sh100 million to actualize a plan that will ensure all these facilities are put into place,” Governor Kiraitu Murungi said on Saturday during launch of the municipality charter at Maua stadium.
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“The board will also implement the plan we have for the stadium and ensure it is built to international standards like Kinoru,” Mr Murungi said.
Elevation of the town into a municipality involved drawing a 20-year blue print plan through a public participation process that took three years to complete, according to Jeremiah Lenya, Meru County executive in charge of Lands, Housing and Urban Planning.
Mr Lenya said the process of putting into place structures that would see three towns of Timau, Nkubu and Mikinduri also elevated, has already started.
“We plan to transform 42 urban centres across the county into municipalities because urbanization is an engine of growth especially in rural areas,” Mr Lenya said.
Mr Murungi also took the moment to ask Maua residents to vote for Azimio la Umoja One Kenya presidential candidate Raila Odinga who has pledged to increase funds allocation to counties from 15 to 35 percent.
