Muthwani MCA George Kingori (2L) with residents along Kamulu - Kasarani Polytechnic Road in Machakos County where the road was barricaded after locals dug trenches to bar truck drivers from quarries from using it on Saturday December 16, 2017. (Photo/Maugo/hivisasa.com)
Muthwani MCA George Kingori has differed with a delegation from Nairobi County on roads barricaded by the residents in protest of dust and dilapidated state.
The officials led by Njiru deputy county commissioner Patrick Muli visited the roads and promised they will be murramed by both Machakos and Nairobi County governments to end the stalemate.
Kingori said the roads will not be opened unless they were all tarmacked.
He said the Nairobi officials should consult their Machakos County counterparts before making the decisions.
Kingori said the officers could not make any reasonable decisions on the road since they have only two kilometers road between Nairobi and Machakos boundaries, the rest of the roads are all in Muthwani, Mavoko Sub County.
He said the residents had suffered for a long time due to the pathetic state of roads hence need for a permanent solution.
Kingori addressed the press in Kamulu along Kamulu – Kasarani Polytechnic Road on Saturday.
He criticized Mutua’s government for tarmacking roads from sub-counties that do not generate reasonable revenue for his administration.
“Hii Muthwani ina rasilimali zinaweza jenga mabarabara zetu, kama Mutua anaweza jenga mabarabara za Mwala na hakuna rasilimali huko nasi lazima tuwekewe lami,” said Kingori.
The county legislature said Mutua promised them tarmacked roads during the campaigns ahead of August 8, elections.
Kingori said all the roads will remain closed until the issues were resolved, “we need nothing less, these roads must all be tarmacked,”
He said both Machakos and Nairobi governments were risking losing revenue from the trucks and hundreds of quarries in Muthwani ward if they keep ignoring the locals.
Kingori said they will close the quarries if the issues were not immediately resolved.
He said the situation was impoverishing the residents since some had moved from their houses, tenants vacated, businesses closed and now the trucks drivers jobs would be at risk if the quarries were closed.
Kingori said all materials needed for constructing tarmac roads were available in the quarries.
“It is unfair that other counties benefit from our resources as the locals keep suffering, all counties get these resources from Muthwani,” said Kingori.
He said even tarmac itself is available in the quarries.
The situation has resulted in increased tension among the residents, transporters and truck drivers.