It’s a new dawn for residents of Githurai town in Ruiru, Kiambu County after the national government embarked on building cabros on link roads that have in the past been a menace to both residents and traders.
The project is part of the government’s new bid to spur economic developments thereby easing doing business in the highly populated area.
Residents recounted that the populous informal settlement was formerly marred with mud during heavy rains and disastrous dust during the sun, a challenge that is over with continued cabro-paving works.
Residents of the packed area said they have never known peace since independence as their roads have overly been neglected to a point that moving goods from one point to another has been a daunting task.
Led by Mary Wangechi who joined the overcrowded town in 1993, the residents stated that all the link roads in the area have remained impassable over the years.
They said that for decades, they have been surviving through the use of gumboots during rainy seasons despite the fact that Githurai is classified to be a town near Nairobi City.
Their longstanding anguish is now over after the government moved to complete the Sh 800 million project.
Ruiru MP Simon King’ara noted that with revival of trains movement from Nanyuki to Nairobi and which will see at least six trains crisscross Githurai area daily, massive movement of persons from one area to another will not be spared.
He said that the new project will also aid movement of goods at the newly constructed Githurai market that is expected to host 6,000 traders.
Speaking when he inspected the progress of the project, King’ara acclaimed President Uhuru for finding time to fulfil the promises he made to Githurai residents saying that such projects are the surest way of bettering livelihoods.
The cabro project whose raw materials are sourced locally, he said have also created job opportunities for his constituents.
Residents who could not hide their joy after years of suffering however called on the government to now put up a good drainage system, a sewer line, security lights and water supply to help them live better lives.