Fight for projects before Uhuru retires, Kuria tells central MPs

Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria speaks to journalists in Meru on September 22, 2019. He challenged politicians from Mt Kenya region to push for quick completion of projects being undertaken by the Jubilee administration before President Uhuru Kenyatta's term ends. PHOTO | CHARLES WANYORO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • He said Mt Kenya has only received a small fraction of the development projects and many are incomplete.
  • Mr Kuria cited the multibillion water projects started in Rift Valley and Coast regions.
  • The MP urged politicians to be patient and stop criticising BBI before reading the taskforce’s deliberations.

Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria has challenged politicians from Mt Kenya region to push for quick completion of projects being undertaken by the Jubilee administration before President Uhuru Kenyatta's term ends.

Mr Kuria said despite the region being a Jubilee stronghold, it received only got a small fraction of the development projects and many are incomplete.

Speaking Sunday at Maua Stadium in Meru County during the homecoming ceremony for gospel artiste Makena Materi, Mr Kuria said the region has nothing to show and most of the resources are now going to other areas.

MORE RESOURCES

“We need to wake up and push for increased resources. We must compete with others who are benefiting now because the president’s term is coming to an end and we are not assured of [what we will get from] the next regime,” he said.

Mr Kuria cited the multibillion water projects started in Rift Valley and Coast regions, saying Mt Kenya has received a raw deal despite the region facing an all-time highest rate of water shortage.

UNDER-INVESTMENT

“The actual problem of water in the region is under-investment. We see billions invested elsewhere like Kimwarer and Arror. The biggest dam in Meru is a Sh60 million project in Buuri. This region is thoroughly disadvantaged and our people are in pain due to under-investment in water and agriculture programmes,” he said.

Mr Kuria told the residents that the current grumbling by local leaders gives credence to his remarks on New Year’s eve that Mt Kenya region got a raw deal in projects.

DISAPPOINTED

His remarks came only days after Meru Governor Kiraitu Murungi criticised the slow implementation of projects, saying residents are disappointed.

On Tuesday last week, Mr Murungi told Deputy President William Ruto that none of the 130 projects lunched by the Jubilee administration since 2013 have completed.

Over the weekend, Embu leaders led by nominated MP Cecily Mbarire said residents are suffering since four dams promised by the government have not yet been dug.

On Building Bridges Initiative (BBI), Mr Kuria asked President Kenyatta to unveil the document at Kasarani Stadium so that Kenyans can know its content and make informed decisions.

BBI

He urged politicians to be patient and stop criticising the document before reading the taskforce’s deliberations.

The MP said BBI’s main task was to come up with solutions to the country’s polarised ethnicity and frequent election-related disputes and it is wrong to rubbish the document before it is tabled.

“We want the President to table the document there (Kasarani) so that people can know what it contains. I believe it has things that will help generations to come. We will only reject it if it proposes [the creation of] posts for politicians,” Mr Kuria said.

He said he will campaign against the Punguza Mizigo initiative since it will; disadvantage areas that have high populations.

“It proposes that each county [should have] two MPs. Meru, which currently has 10 MPs will have two, same as Lamu which already has two constituencies,” he told the residents.