KeNHA kicks off-road to link four Mt Kenya counties

Transport and Infrastructure CS James Macharia (second left) being shown route along Mau Mau road. [Boniface Gikandi/Standard]

Construction of Mau Mau Road that will connect four counties in Central Kenya has kicked off with five contractors on site.

The 500-kilometre stretch is designed to connect Kiambu, Murang’a, Nyeri and Nyandarua counties under the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) started a month ago.

KeNHA Chairman Wangai Ndirangu said the project is earmarked to end in two years.

“The Sh30 billion project is on course with five contractors on site, as the government promised to deliver Mau Mau Road in the shortest time possible,” he said.

Eng Ndirangu spoke during an inspection tour of roads in Murang’a and Nyeri counties. According to KeNHA, Sh2 billion is needed to rehabilitate roads around the country.

The Mau Mau corridor was used by fighters during the war for Kenya’s independence to penetrate the Mt Kenya region and engage colonial soldiers.

The project, set to be launched by President Uhuru Kenyatta, starts at Gataka area in Kiambu and extends to Njeng’u in Mweiga along the Nyeri-Nyahururu road.

Two other sections branch through Gatanga and Kigumo constituencies and cut across the forest to Njabini in Nyandarua county.

The Mau Mau road will then extend to Naivasha through Njabini for 32 kilometres to connect Mt Kenya region with Rift Valley to ease transportation of goods.

The construction kicked off after KeNHA conducted 18 public participation forums in the counties that ended on January 31.

Transport and Infrastructure Cabinet Secretary James Macharia earlier said the extension to Naivasha was included to connect Central Kenya with the dry port. 

“It is also a good venture that traders from eastern region will use the Mau Mau route to take their products to and from Naivasha Dry Port,” he said.