Police in Thika on Monday morning spent over four hours trying to calm irate demonstrators from Witeithie and Juja areas.
The protesters had taken to the streets over what they termed as embezzlement of funds meant for renovation of their roads by area MP Francis Munyua Waititu.
The residents blocked the Thika superhighway at dawn and burnt tyres causing a heavy traffic jam on the highway before the anti-riot police from Thika Police division intervened.
Munyua, during an interview in a local radio station over the weekend, said that he had spent Sh7 million for renovation of roads in Witeithie. However, the residents said the roads are yet to be repaired.
They added that the MP has put up a notice board claiming the completion of the road which, they said, is in a bad state. They thus needed an explanation from the MP on which road he was talking about renovating.
Through their business community chairman Joel Mungai, the residents said, “He claims to have constructed these roads yet he has never been to this area. We need a clear explanation on where the Sh7 million went and how it was spent.”
An attempt by Thika Deputy County Commissioner Jeremiah Gicheru, OCDP Francis Muthamia and Witeithie MCA Peter Muiruri to address the residents failed to deter them from demonstrating. The demonstrators went back to the highway enroute to the Juja CDF offices to meet the MP who was nowhere to be found.
According to the lawmaker’s personal assistant, Gerald Kagumo, the leader has already handed over the mandate to the contractor and the work should be done at the moment.
The official, who spoke on the phone, said the MP was committed elsewhere at the moment.
The Kenya Rural Roads Authority Kiambu Region Director Eng John Ogango has however refuted claims that his officials have taken over the repair of the road and said that no contractor has been paid as the leader alleges.