Residents appeal for upgrade of road to crucial market

Residents along Mitheru-Kaanwa Road in Tharaka Nithi County have pleaded for its upgrade.

The road, which connects Maara to Tharaka region, is in a bad state and locals said they were unable to transport agricultural produce to markets.

Tharaka is the host of Kaanwa market, one of the biggest in the county.

“When it rains we get stuck with our agricultural produce. Mitheru-Kaanwa Road has stayed for long without an upgrade, yet it is crucial for transportation of people and cargo,” said Kawira Mutegi, who sells her wares at Mitheru market along Chuka-Meru Road.

Mitheru Ward MCA Nyaga Kuura said upgrade of the road had been budgeted for during the first supplementary budget when the county government took over, but it had not been implemented.

“The Mitheru-Kaanwa-Giampampo Road is the spinal cord, because it is very important for development in this region,” Kuura said.

He added: “We found the plan to upgrade the road in the first supplementary budget in 2017. But up to date the road has not been done,” said Kuura.

The ward rep said the road had been one of his priority projects, and appealed to the Executive to improve the road to facilitate trade and movement of people.

Nyaga said other roads in Mitheru had been neglected, which had affected services as movement to amenities such as schools, health centres, markets and others was difficult.

“Roads around Mitheru do not even have murrum,” he said.

Yesterday, County Executive for Roads Julius Giti said the government plans to upgrade the roads in Mitheru, but ongoing rains might cause delay.

“It is not the best time to undertake road projects, because we are likely to lose investment.

We are planning to upgrade the 7.5km Kaanwa-Mitheru Road, and the 12km Mitheru-Kiili-Giampampo, Muthenge-Kamatuku road,” said Giti.

He added: “These roads are the artery of the region and we plan to upgrade them alongside others in the county.” 


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Tharaka Nithi County