A section of residents in Athi River have threatened to move to court to stop commencement of the multibillion dual carriage highway project.
The project is meant to be implemented by the national government along the Nairobi–Mombasa Highway. The residents protested against the road map plan that had been produced and presented to them by Kenya National Highway Authority (KeNHA) arguing that it did not please the residents.
Led by the Gima Estate chairman, Daniel Mageto, the irate group of people claimed the plan being implemented by the road engineers is not the original one. They accused KeNHA of colluding with some prominent individuals from the area to produce the plan based on their self-interests and ill motives.
“We do not object the project but the plan as it does not please residents and investors who have property and businesses along the highway,” said Mageto.
Mageto said the road should improve the area and livelihoods of residents instead of causing harm and great losses to them.
The residents said the first road map plan done in the year 2011 by a consultant had no issues.
According to them, the first plan had indicated that the road would pass through the Old Mombasa Road that has open and undeveloped land with no settlements hence more ideal for the project.
“Why destroy people’s property while there are lots of vacant plots elsewhere. We will move to court to seek an injunction to stop the project’s commencement until our concerns are effectively addressed,” Mageto said.
He said residents bought the plots between 2004 and 2009 before the government started acquiring some of them in 2009 for the project hence there is no need for them to be harassed and forcefully evicted.
The residents who were speaking at an environmental impact assessment stakeholders’ consultative meeting organised by Egis Consultants called for government’s intervention for the affected residents to get justice as far as the project is concerned.
Eng. Steven Ouma of the Egis Consulting Engineers assured both the groups that the consultants would review both the plans, share with their client KeNHA and consolidate them to meet interests of all affected.