Work on the 30-kilometre Chuka-Kajuki-Kaareni road in Tharaka Nithi County has resumed after stalling for nearly eight years.
The key road connects county headquarters in Kathwana with Chuka town, which is the devolved unit’s biggest commercial hub and Chuka/Igambang’ombe constituency administrative centre.
Work on the road was launched by President William Ruto on May 10, 2015, and was expected to be complete in March 2018, but stalled in 2017 after the contractor, West Build Construction Company left after completing only six kilometres.
Due to the bad state of the road, motorists were forced to use the Kawanjara route through Embu County, which is about 70 kilometres longer.
During the rainy season, the road is rendered impassable due to mud cutting off the residents of the two sides who are mainly farmers from trading their farm produce.
With almost all national and some county government offices still in Chuka town, the officers and the locals seeking services are also compelled to use the longer road making it very expensive.
The few motorists and especially probox vehicle operators who use the road charge Sh300 from Chuka town to Kathwana town, a distance which should ordinarily cost a traveler at most Sh100.
Mr Julius Kabete, a public service vehicle driver who operates on the road urged the government to ensure that the work does not stall again.
He said though they charge more money because of the deplorable state of the road, they do not make any profit because almost all the money is paid to mechanics because their vehicles break down often.
“We are grateful that work has resumed after stalling for several years and we hope it will not stop again,” said Mr Kabete.
He said tarmacking of the road will also increase customers because most people avoid using it because of its bad state.
Ms Jane Makena, a business lady in Kathwana town said tarmacking of the road will lead to the growth of their businesses because many people will access the town which hosts the county headquarters.
“For the 10 years of devolution Kathwana town has not grown much mainly because of the accessibility problem and some officers remaining in Chuka town but we are optimistic that once the key road is tarmacked, we will witness great growth,” said Ms Makena.
Chuka/Igambang’ombe Member of Parliament Patrick Munene said to make sure that the work is completed quickly, the government had assigned the road three contractors who are already working.
“The road has been divided into three sections which have been assigned different contractors to ensure speedy completion of the work,” said MP Munene.
During a recent visit to the State House in Nairobi, President William Ruto assured the elected leaders who were led by Governor Muthomi Njuki that work on all the stalled projects would soon resume.
The President also promised tarmacking of new roads in the county including the Mukuyuni-Kibung’a-Marimanti road which connects Tharaka constituency and Meru County.
