Kiraitu Murungi on the spot over unfulfilled roads promise

Meru Senator Kiraitu Murungi, who is running for governor. PHOTO | SALATON NJAU | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • According to the Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA), construction of the 23-kilometre Meru town bypass roads at a cost of Sh2.4 billion was 42 per cent done.
  • While drumming up support for his election as governor, Mr Murungi accused Meru Governor Peter Munya of running down the county headquarters leading to the traffic nightmare.

Meru Senator Kiraitu Murungi has decried rising traffic problems in Meru town and called for urgent measures to decongest the roads.

Addressing St Joseph Catholic Church faithful on Sunday, Mr Murungi said he was a victim of the heavy traffic in the town through the week and even on weekends.

Traffic is heavy during rush hour, as motorists head home to Maua, Embu, Isiolo and Nanyuki.

Mr Murungi, who was accompanied by North Imenti MP Rahim Dawood and Meru Woman Rep Florence Kajuju, was put to task by clerics on why he had not fulfilled his 2013 pledge that a road leading to the town church would be tarmacked.

TRAFFIC NIGHTMARE

“On Saturday, I was caught up in traffic for two and half hours. This means something has to be done urgently. The town should be decongested and the ongoing construction of bypasses should solve the problem,” Mr Murungi said.

According to the Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA), construction of the 23-kilometre Meru town bypass roads at a cost of Sh2.4 billion was 42 per cent done.

While drumming up support for his election as governor, Mr Murungi accused Meru Governor Peter Munya of running down the county headquarters leading to the traffic nightmare.

“Meru’s development is dead and requires the people to give me power so that I can resurrect it. If elected governor, I will establish empowered town councils and ensure all money collected from the towns is recouped to develop those areas,” the senator said.

LESSONS FROM ODM

He said construction of the roads would be fast-tracked ahead of President Uhuru Kenyatta’s visit in May.

The three leaders also called on the Jubilee Party secretariat to adopt stringent measures to avert the kind of chaos witnessed in the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) primaries.

They said Jubilee should learn from the experiences of the opposition party to ensure a free and fair process.

ODM nominations in Busia were marred by violence, gun drama, tension and confusion, delaying voting before the disputed results were nullified.