Meru legislators demand share of Mau Mau roads

Nine MPs have demanded that Meru County be included in the list of counties benefiting from the Sh26 billion Mau Mau cluster roads.

The MPs, who spoke at a Meru parliamentary group meeting in Meru town, said their region was sidelined when the project was designed to connect Kiambu, Murang'a, Nyeri and Nyandarua counties.

The construction of the Mau Mau cluster roads, which pass through the Aberdare Forest has kicked off. They are so named because they were first opened up as the liberation waged in the 1950s, enabling the colonial military to venture near the Aberdare hideouts of the Mau Mau warriors.

But the Meru MPs grumbled that this project as well as the planned dual carriageway on the Kenol-Marua highway, are likely to alienate Mt Kenya East.

“We want the government to consider building similar roads in Meru and Embu areas which also played a key role in the Mau Mau liberation struggle,” said Meru Senator Mithika Linturi, who chairs the Meru PG.

Only deputy national assembly chief whip Maoka Maore (Igembe North), Rahim Dawood (Imenti North) and Woman MP Kawira Mwangaza were not at the meeting.

“We could even get the "Mau Mau curse" if projects in their honour were allocated Central region and Meru excluded,” said Kirima.