Residents of Gatundu North have criticized the bad condition of the Thika-Magumu road and blamed the contractor and local authorities for their inaction.
Despite being under development for four years, the 68-kilometer project is still an eyesore.
On Friday, some locals staged demonstrations and used branches and bananas to obstruct the road near the Mwea police station.
They went ahead and started flames while blocking the road with boulders to halt traffic.
One protester warned that if the local authority doesn’t demand that the road be fixed, there will be more widespread demonstrations.
The main road that runs through Thika Town, Mang’u, Kamwangi, Kanyoni, Kanjuku, Gakoe, Kirasha, and Magumu and connects Kiambu, Nyandarua, and Murang’a Counties has been the subject of protests from irate road users who claim the contractor dug terraces on both sides of the road, causing numerous accidents, traffic jams, and damage to vehicles.
The re-tarmacking and enlargement of the carriageway’s width were among the construction projects that started in August 2020 and were scheduled to be finished in December 2021.
By connecting the congested Thika road to the Nairobi-Nakuru highway, the redesigned ring road was intended to relieve congestion in the Nairobi metropolitan area.
Four years after the construction started, the road is still characterized by countless potholes, hazy terraces, and clouds of dust.
For the few matatus that still travel that route, commuters are now required to pay higher prices.
Users of the dilapidated road complained of significant obstructions that slowed down the delivery of their farm products, including milk, pineapples, avocados, tea, and coffee.
On the other hand, drivers lamented the frequent breakdowns of their cars, which they now have to pay to have maintained.
