Nyeri residents protest stoppage of Mau Mau road tender

Some Nyeri residents on Wednesday demanded that President William Ruto’s administration reinstate the proposed Sh4.4 billion Ihithe-Aberdare Forest-Kahuruko-Ndunyu Njeru road project.

The 54km stretch is part of the mega Mau Mau roads project that sought to link Kiambu, Muranga, Nyeri and Nyandarua counties.

The residents held protests for most of Wednesday, claiming that the cancellation of the Lot 4 tender linking Ihithe in Nyeri and Ndunyu Njeru in Nyandarua would hamper growth.

The Kenya National Highways Authority (Kenha) had explained that the tender was cancelled after the agency failed to get environmental impact assessment (EIA) approvals from environment watchdog Nema, the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) and Kenya Forest Service (KFS).

“The EIA approvals would have granted Kenha possession of the site for the 33km stretch from Kiandogoro Gate to Mutubio Gate, which is under Aberdare National Park and Aberdare Forest,” Kenha said in a statement.

It was feared that the proposed project would have destroyed the natural forest in the Aberdare ecosystem. It had been projected to be completed by next year.

The irate demonstrators presented petitions to the KFS, KWS, Nema and Kenha in Nyeri town, arguing that the tender was illegally cancelled.

Tarmacking an existing murram road was expected to open up Central Region Economic Bloc (Cereb) counties by shortening the distance covered when ferrying food and other products, said resident Mbogo Mukunya.

“With all humility, we are requesting President William Ruto and his deputy Rigathi Gachagua to reconsider this tender so that we can see its implementation by January next year,” Mr Mukunya said. Logistics companies, he said, “cover 205km from Nyeri town to Ndunyu Njeru in Nyandarua. If this road is opened up, they will now be covering 54km. This will result in cost reduction in the logistics sector.”

He added: “Nyandarua is an agricultural county and this road would have helped Kiambu, Muranga and Nyeri counties tap into its potential through a shorter route. 

“We want the economy in these counties to be opened up as well as the northern frontier.”

Mr Edwin Kariuki urged Kenha to redesign the road instead of halting its upgrade.

“We are not undermining the environmental impact assessment reports that have been tabled, but we are asking the government whether the construction of this road was a mere political promise. Why cancel it now?” Mr Kariuki said.

“Are there process gaps at Kenha, because they are approving a road and then cancelling it later. They can as well redesign the road because the people of the Mt Kenya region stand to benefit more than anyone else,” he added.

Ms Mary Wanjiru argued that other mega projects rolled out by the government had been completed successfully though they pass through forests and national parks.

“We have mega projects like the standard gauge railway (SGR) which traverse through national parks and are operational. How come that this road was cancelled over environmental issues?” Ms Wanjiru said.

“We are demanding that this road be upgraded to bitumen standards. This route has been there for many years and we want it opened up.”

Kenha announced that the ongoing Mau Mau roads project covering Kiambu, Murang’a and Nyeri counties would proceed.

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