In Kiambaa, Kiambu County, a growing number of residents have raised concerns over the Muchatha-Kaiyaba-Nduota-Gathanga-Kigwaru Road project, which spans 60 kilometers. The project, initially welcomed as a potential game-changer for the area’s infrastructure, has been commissioned several times since 2017. Despite numerous high-profile ceremonies and political promises, progress on the road has been significantly slower than expected, leading to frustration among the local community.
The Muchatha-Kaiyaba-Nduota-Gathanga-Kigwaru Road was allocated Ksh. 2.8 billion in 2017, with the aim of improving connectivity within Kiambaa constituency and the larger Kiambu County. The road is strategically important, as it connects multiple towns and is expected to ease transportation for farmers and traders, thereby boosting economic activities in the region.
Residents have witnessed several ceremonies meant to mark the start of construction, with the most recent one, on Monday 16 September 2024, sparking fresh concerns as it was commissioned by the Interior Cabinet Secretary, Prof.Kithure Kindiki. Since 2017, political leaders and government officials have been involved in the repeated commissioning of the project, each time promising the road would be completed soon. However, the road remains largely incomplete, with only sections of it in a usable state.
Critics argue that the repeated commissioning of the road appears to be more of a political stunt than a serious infrastructure development plan. The multiple ceremonies have heightened public suspicion, as the community feels that promises of completion are often timed to coincide with election seasons, giving the impression that the road is used as a campaign tool.
The delays in the road’s construction have taken a toll on local businesses and farmers. The road is vital for transporting goods, especially agricultural products, to market hubs in Nairobi and other regions. Poor road conditions have increased transport costs and caused significant delays, leading to losses for small-scale farmers who rely on quick access to markets.
Furthermore, the incomplete state of the road has hampered potential investments in the area. Investors remain cautious, wary of sinking funds into a region with substandard infrastructure, despite promises of improvement.
Local leaders and residents are now calling for greater transparency regarding the allocation and use of the Ksh. 2.8 billion. There are rising concerns over potential mismanagement of funds or lack of proper oversight, with questions being asked about how much of the project’s budget has been spent and whether the road will ever be completed within the original timeframe.
Civil society groups and some local representatives have demanded a full audit of the road project to establish how the allocated funds were spent. There are growing calls for accountability from the contractors and the government bodies responsible for overseeing the road’s construction.
The repeated commissioning of the Muchatha-Kaiyaba-Nduota-Gathanga-Kigwaru Road has not gone unnoticed by political analysts, who suggest that the road is often brought up as a convenient talking point during political campaigns. This perception has further fueled public cynicism, with many now doubting whether the project will ever be completed, or if it is simply being used for political leverage.
As concerns continue to mount in
, the local population is demanding action. They want an end to the cycle of promises and ceremonies, and are calling for a concrete timeline for the completion of the Muchatha-Kaiyaba-Nduota-Gathanga-Kigwaru Road. Without greater accountability and faster progress, the road project risks becoming a symbol of broken promises and wasted public resources in Kiambaa.