Anger over fears of relocating Tharaka Nithi County headquarters heightened today as residents took to the streets over Deputy President William Ruto's remarks that suggested Chuka town instead of Kathwana.
The demonstrators expressed fears that some politicians have been grabbing projects meant to be at the county headquarters in Kathwana to Chuka despite it being the gazetted county headquarters and further demanded DP Ruto to clarify his remarks.
During a fundraiser at Kaare Secondary School on Friday, Ruto said the national government has funded several projects in Chuka Town including the Sh370 million tarmacking of roads in the town.
"In phase one, we allocated Sh300 million for tarmacking Chuka Town road's which is your county headquarters and we have added Sh70 million to make sure that it looks like a city," said Ruto.
However angry locals have accused Chuka/Igambang'ombe MP Muthomi Njuki, who is also eyeing a gubernatorial seat, of influencing isolation of the county headquarters where the county government has been operating from since 2013.
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"Let Muthomi know that we are watching. He moved the Huduma Centre, the High Court, stadium and fibre optic cable wiring, which should ideally be in the headquarters to Chuka Town," said Mitheru MCA Kinuthia Nevert.
Governor Samuel Ragwa has sought clarification from the Deputy President, claiming that the national government does not recognise Kathwana as the county headquarters.
In April, President Uhuru Kenyatta signed the County Governments (Amendment) Act which designates towns where county headquarters will be based.
This sealed the fate of Kathwana Town as Tharaka-Nithi County headquarters and not Chuka.
