Why State House rejected Kuria wish on Sh2.8b road

President Uhuru Kenyatta and Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria.

Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria’s proposal on a Sh2.8 billion road project was overruled by State House.

On July 10 last year, Kuria wrote to the Director General of the Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KeRRA) Luka Kimeli on the route the road would take.

The following day, Kimeli wrote to the Principal Secretary in the State Department of Infrastructure Julius Korir seeking his opinion on the MP’s proposal. When the PS responded, he did not give his opinion but instead communicated a presidential directive informing the KeRRA boss of the President’s wishes.

New scope

The response was titled; “Presidential directive on links passing through Kinare forest”.

“As you are aware we have been directed that the road through Kinare forest should be excluded from the works under this contract.”

It further states: “In this regard, you are requested to omit, from the contract, the roads passing the forest and request you to prepare a revised scope of the roads to be covered in the contract without altering the original length in the contract.”

The new scope of the road was to be Marige-Kiratina-Gathiruini-Githioro-Gatana-Mungere-Nyanduma/Gituamba-Gitombu-PCEA Kiagi Church totaling 28km.

The initial plan which appears to have been supported by the MP was Kibichoi-Kigongo-Kiganjo/Mundoro-Flyover/Gachika, Flyover/Kigaa, Thegi/Kiamwangi-Kahnia-karembu/D424-Wamita-Gacharage/Kagera-Kigongo/E499Mundoro-Gachika Road of Contract No. RWC 517.

It is not known what happened after this letter, or if it could have one of the causes of the MP’s New Year’s eve outbursts.

“As we go into 2019, you (electorates) must really think. Our duty is not just to vote and after  voting, we take economic development elsewhere. That kind of nonsense must stop,” Kuria said at Thika Stadium.