As President Uhuru Kenyatta leaves office after ten years in government, the 84-kilometer, Sh14-billion dual carriage highway connecting Kenol in Murang’a County with Marua in Nyeri will stand out as his most important legacy project in Mount Kenya.
The Mau Mau dual carriage will be a continuation of the Thika Superhighway from Kenol through Murang’a, Kirinyaga, and Nyeri counties after his predecessor, Mwai Kibaki, built it for a cost of Sh36 billion.
“Politics aside, this road means much to Mt Kenya region economy and it will be remembered as one of the finest legacies of Mr Kenyatta in Mt Kenya region. The gains that will come with its completion are so immense and it has the potential of raising hundreds of millionaires,” Kikuyu Council of Elders chairman Wachira Kiago noted.
Adding:
“An acre in Makuyu, Sagana, Karatina and Marua was rated at between Sh2 million and Sh4 million before this road commenced but as we speak, the prices have jumped to between Sh6 million and Sh12 million and promising to continue peaking as the project gains shape.”
The president on Saturday officially opened a road that is 75% complete and being built in two phases: a 36 km section from Sagana to Marua that will cost Sh6 billion and a 48 km extension from Kenol to Sagana that will cost Sh8 billion.
The 84 km stretch from Kenol through Makuyu, Kambiti, Gwa Thamaki, Makutano, Riandira, Sagana, Kibingoti, Kibirigwi, Kiangwaci, Karatina, and terminating in Marua will be upgraded from a two-lane single carriage to a four-lane dual carriageway.
The head of state was worried that the delayed arrival of agricultural goods at markets. Locals’ jobs and commerce were impacted by the bad roads.
“This road will make many people working in Meru, Nyeri, Thika, Kenol and Nairobi towns to start thinking of commuting from home since it will reduce the hours wasted on travel by half,” he said.
