Sh3.9b to upgrade Machakos-Embu road for county’s development

By JOSEPH MUCHIRI

Embu County: The Government will modernise the Machakos-Embu road to ease congestion and boost development.

Embu Governor Martin Wambora said the national government had allocated Sh3.9 billion to upgrade the 47-kilometre road from Kamburu Dam to Embu town to B-7 status. He said works would commence next year.

Wambora said the road would be critical to the development of a 1,000-acre industrial park at Machang’a in Mbeere South district through a public-private partnership.

He said a dual carriageway would be built from Muthatari area to the Embu-Meru highway.

“Improvement of infrastructure is key to development of the county. We have prioritised on funding infrastructure through budgetary allocations for 2013/2014 financial year,” Wambora said.

Bus parks

He was speaking during a groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of a Sh38 million market upgrading project in Kithimu, where he also pledged Sh1.5 million towards a grain store and a second-hand clothing centre adjacent to the market under construction.

Speaking separately, Infrastructure, Roads and Public Works Executive member David Njiru said Sh215 million had been allocated for the maintenance of county roads and Sh57 million for other access roads so as to open up rural areas and develop them. “We will also improve the road leading to Embu Airport and put streetlights along Kiritiri, Gachoka and airport road,” said Njiru.

He said an additional Sh8million has been allocated for improvement of bus parks in the county.

“We are in the process of preparing a list of all registered contractors in the county with an aim of weeding out ‘cowboy’ contractors to ensure only qualified ones are awarded contracts,” said Njiru.