Locals accuse Kiharu MP of plot to relocate planned college

Residents of Mukangu village in Kiharu Constituency, Murang’a County have held protests accusing their MP Ndindi Nyoro of secretly hatching a plot to relocate the proposed Kiharu Vocational Training Institute from their locality to Kiambugi where the legislator hails from.

The residents who held protests at the Mukangu shopping on Monday carrying anti-Nyoro banners.

They also displayed documents showing how their former MP Irungu Kang’ata approved the building of the proposed institute and said they will stop at nothing until the institution is set up in Mukangu.

LETTER

In a letter dated June 10, 2015 seen by the Nation, Mr Kang’ata, who is now the Murang’a senator, committed to set aside Sh10 million from the CDF for the project.

“Kindly proceed to do the necessary arrangements to fast-track the establishment of the institute especially in areas of preparing an architectural and structural drawing and approvals, the requisite bills of quantities, acquiring the requisite Nema approvals and any other documentation that may hinder implementation. Kiharu CDF in its 2015-2016 budget will set aside Sh10 million for the project,” read the letter signed by Mr Kang’ata.

It is such documents that locals cited during their demonstration, saying Mr Nyoro, upon his election in 2017, disregarded and diverted the project to his native home.

GO TO COURT

They said they will be heading to court to oppose the move.

“We will not allow that to happen. Plans for the vocational institute started in 2013 and the MP halted the same for his selfish interests. We want the government to come to our aide,” Mr David Njoroge, a former teacher, said.

The locals argued that the new construction site is only 5 kilometres away from Mathioya Vocational Training Institute in the neighbouring Mathioya Constituency and that the move will disadvantage young people from Wangu and Mbiri.

Wangu Ward MCA Isaac Kamote said he has tried in vain to reach the MP in a bid to ensure the institute is built at the place it was originally intended to be.

He said he has written to principal secretary in charge of vocational and technical training protesting against the MP’s move.

“I have written to Mr Kevit Desai over the relocation of the college and no response is forthcoming. We shall file the matter in court and present our grievances to seek our justice. It is unfair, selfish and illegal,” the MCA told journalists.

NYORO RESPONDS

And while the protests continued in Mukangu, the MP was officiating a ground-breaking ceremony at Kiambugi shopping centre.

Responding to the relocation allegations, Mr Nyoro said the Sh100 million set aside for building the institute is still there but added that it cannot be built near Mukangu Polytechnic as it would kill the institution.

He maintained that process is underway to seek for an alternative land and accused Mr Kamote of hatching a plot to have the institute built in Mukangu since he owns a piece of land there on which he wants to build hostels.

POLYTECHNIC

"The land where Mr Kamote wants the institute constructed has an active polytechnic and we can't kill an institution because of another one. He wants to ensure the institute is built there since he owns land and wants to construct hostels for his own gain," Mr Nyoro said.

The MP said he has urged some elders from the village to look for land on which to build the institute which will be named Kenneth Matiba Technical Training Institute.

2020

He revealed that the ground-breaking ceremony is set for March 2020.

"I want to assure the people of Wangu that we shall have the institute constructed before the end of next year. Mr Kamote is only being used by my political distractors led by Mr (Maina) Kamanda who are now using some MCAs to distract us from initiating development projects but they will not make it," the MP said as he directed his anger at the nominated MP.

He said that plans are underway to build at least six institutions in all the six wards in Kiharu during his tenure.