Sh30bn road plan for central Kenya

Road works. FILE PHOTO | NATION MEDIA GROUP 

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By JAMES KARIUKI
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The State says it plans to build a Sh30 billion network of roads known as Mau Mau Road within two years.

Speaking at a contractors site visit along the proposed road snaking through 69 markets in Nyeri,
Murang’a, Nyandarua and Kiambu, Transport Secretary James Macharia said four contractors have been engaged.

Starting at Gataka in Limuru sub-county, the road snakes through Kiambu’s Kamahindu and Kibichoi to Murang’a’s Kinyona in Kigumo and Ichichi in Kangema before reaching Nyeri County where it will touch the Nyeri-Nyahururu road at Ihuru area.

The Nairobi-Nyeri road is the second most congested after the Nakuru-Nairobi highway that experiences traffic gridlocks due to crucial linkages to other parts of the country including Isiolo, Samburu, Embu, Meru, Murang’a and Nanyuki town.

The new road also creates an economic impetus for Murang’a and Nyeri that lack tarmacked road links to agriculture-rich Nyandarua County.

The road will also reduce the distance covered from Gatundu North to Gatanga that is hindered by sharp ridges.

For Kigumo in Murang’a, a new road cutting though Gatare Forest to Gatura and Njambini will be tarmacked, ending the 100 kilometre journey to the two towns through the 100-kilometre dilapidated Thika-Mang’u-Fly Over road.

The ambitious project totaling 150 kilometres has been subdivided into four parts with Nyeri and Murang’a sections being handled by two contractors while Kiambu section measuring 117.9 kilometres has been split into two sections.

Mr Macharia said this was aimed at faster construction of the crucial road that opens the area to key markets expected to attract new investments in farming, real estate and tourism.