Murkomen facing impeachment calls from UDA MPs over stalled Mau Mau road
Certain Members of Parliament from the Mt Kenya region have issued warnings about taking disciplinary action against Kipchumba Murkomen, the Cabinet Secretary for Roads and Transport.
Their dissatisfaction stems from the delays in road projects within the area. Specifically, they have drawn Murkomen’s focus to the Mau Mau road, initiated during the Jubilee regime but halted due to insufficient funds.
“Murkomen should ensure the road is completed and we will not wait more than six months. If after six months contractors will not have returned on site, we will collect signatures to impeach you,” Kangema MP Peter Kihungi said.
On Sunday, Kihungi addressed the congregation at Ndueni Full Gospel Church in Kangema, accompanied by Juja MP George Koimburi, Kinyona MCA Liz Mbugua, and other local leaders. Together, they urged the government to finalize all halted road projects in the area, including the crucial Mau Mau road that connects numerous counties in the region.
Emphasizing that substantial funds have already been invested in these road projects, they argued that leaving them incomplete would be a misuse of public resources. The legislators asserted that the Jubilee administration had allocated Sh4.5 billion for the construction of the Mau Mau road before it came to a standstill. They further claimed that the budget for completing the road in the last supplementary budget was reduced from Sh280 million to Sh175 million.
Mbugua highlighted a commitment made by President William Ruto to ensure the completion of stalled road projects in the region. However, she expressed frustration at the prolonged delay in implementing this promise. The legislators pointed out the current difficulties faced by area residents in navigating various places due to the adverse impact of heavy rains, making the road impassable.
“We have problems because those from one side of the area cannot access the other side. Even taking patients to hospital is a big problem now,” she said.
Koimburi asserted that the government appears to be neglecting the deteriorated state of the Mau Mau road, treating it as if it is not a priority project, despite it being a commitment made to their constituents during the pledges.
“I want to tell the President, I want to tell the CS that Mau Mau issue is now a concern for our locals,” he said.
The 165-kilometre Mau Mau link road was initially designed to serve as a tribute to Mau Mau war veterans while simultaneously facilitating access to the Aberdares forest ecosystem. This thoroughfare connects the counties of Murang’a, Kiambu, Nyeri, and Nyandarua.
As per the Kenya Roads Act of 2007, the responsibility for the development, rehabilitation, maintenance, and management of rural roads across the country lies with the Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KeRRA). Additionally, KeRRA is tasked with ensuring that the quality of road construction adheres to the standards defined by the Cabinet Secretary in charge of the Ministry of Roads and Transport.
It’s worth noting that Mau Mau Road-LOT 3 falls under the jurisdiction of the Kenya National Highways Authority, despite the broader mandate of rural roads being under KeRRA’s purview.
