The
Mountain Journal
The
celebrated Mau Mau road is transforming villages along the 540 kilometres
stretch with farmers accessing markets for their produce, as the cost of land
doubles within the stretch before it is complete.
Along
the stretch, the old village shops in the 44 market centres have been
facelifted, with the investors eying for opportunities to buy land targeting
tourist facilities along the slopes of Aberdare Ranges.
The
project starts at Gataka-Ini in Kiambu and ends at Njeng’u in Mweiga along the
Nyeri-Nyahururu road started two years ago( May 2020) with projected completion
in May next year.
David
Macharia, a resident of Wanjerere village says the value of the road has risen
from Sh700,000 per acre to Sh1.4 million.
Improved
accessibility helped open the landlocked localities, with the cost of land
doubling.
“The
road has promoted the interior villages in the counties, a boost to the
economy,” said Macharia.
In
the Tuthu area, Patrick Wanjama is planning to convert his house into a
hotel as it lies next to the highway for the interest of providing
accommodation to people moving around the slopes of Aberdares.
Wanjama,
an expert in Tourism Industry says since the road is next to his home, there is
a need to convert it into an income-generating venture.
“Already,
there are tens of people visiting to witness the construction of the major
highway, proof that in future there will be demand for hotels and accommodation
facilities,” said Wanjama.
Kenrick
Maina, a resident of Kangema, says there is a future along the stretch as
there are investors looking for land to set up hotels.
“The
promise by Kenha for a monument in honour of the Mau Mau war
veterans will bring researchers along the stretch thus increasing business for
the people,” said Maina.
Purity
Mugo is proud that the road has opened the route enabling people to travel with
ease, with public service vehicles using the routes.
“Travelling
to the villages around the slopes of the Aberdare Range has been a nightmare.
The movement has been made easy upon the progress made by the contractors,”
said Ms Mugo.
KeNHA
Director General Eng Kung’u Ndung’u and Chairman Eng Ndirangu have been
monitoring the much-awaited project that will shorten the distance between the
counties and accelerate growth.
MPs
Peter Kihungi (Kangema) and Joseph Munyoro (Kigumo) say the road will transfer
the villages and accelerate growth.
The
Kangema MP said the project was God-sent as it has changed lives of the
many of the residents who had been previously affected by lack of good roads.
“The
pace in the construction should be accelerated to enable the residents to
benefit from the multi-billion shillings project,” said Kihungi.
Munyoro
said the land-locked parts of Kinyona have been opened, attracting investors.
“The
government has shown interest in the transformation of lives through expanding
road networks targeting rural setup,” said the Kigumo MP.
Peter
Kariuki, a transporter says the Sh27 billion project was a God-sent as
major investments are shaping up with the 44 market centres being
modernized from the former village structures.
He
says he is able to move around the villages in Murang’a and Kiambu collecting
milk from the designated centres.
“I
have been contracted by milk processors ferrying five thousand liters of milk
daily. In the past the farmers suffered as the transporters could not access
the villages due to poor roads,” said Kariuki.
In
the Kinyona area in Kigumo, Aberdare Avocado Company Farmers, with more than
250 members, is working on establishing an avocado processing plant owing to
eased transportation.
Farmers’
Group Chairman Mr Onesmus Kibuna says the road is a blessing to many of the
residents as the interior places will be opened after having been ignored for
decades.
“The
road is a blessing as the farm produce will get to the market easily, and there
are many of the people putting up structures to attract the investors,”
said Kibuna.
The
section of the project, Ihithe- Aberdare Forest- Kahuruko- Ndunyu Njeru
estimated at Sh4.4 billion was suspended over the conflict between KeNHA, Nema,
KWS and KFS.
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