Devolution CAS Gideon Mung’aro is on the spot for riding on multi-billion government flagship projects in Kilifi County, with claims that he is the one who initiated them. He is using the projects as a campaign tool to seek votes for his gubernatorial ambitions, according to his critics. Last week, while addressing mourners at his home in the presence of ODM party leader Raila Odinga, Mung’aro said he was the one who pushed for the construction of Malindi – Sala gate road and Baricho Bridge. However, locals now claim the projects were lobbied for by Dan Kazungu who is also eyeing for the Kilifi governor seat.
The Malindi Sala gate road is already complete and cost the government Sh. 4.2 billion while the Baricho bridge is in its final stages and cost Sh. 2.3 billion. Brian Furaha Maitha a resident of Kakuyuni Malindi said they are very happy to get the road project and categorically said the one who pushed for the project was Kazungu the former Mining CS. He said they were shocked to hear that the CAS is using the project as a campaign tool yet he was not part of those who lobbied for it. “Let them look for their own projects which they can be proud of as their own, we know the one who initiated this project is Dan Kazungu, this road has a dark history it was in a pathetic condition but now we are very happy it is tarmacked and in good condition,” he said.
Maitha said before the project the road was impassible during rainy season as it was muddy and vehicles were always getting stuck. Right now, he said one can easily wear ironed clothes and reach town clean as opposed to the previous years when it would be easy for a person to notice one was from that area due to the mud or dust. “We thank the president in a big way for constructing the road, may God bless him wherever he is,” he said. Maitha warned leaders against riding on the Malindi Sala gate road which they did not initiate and urged them to come up with their own developments to show to the people.
Rehema Abdalla a resident of Malindi said Kazungu who is currently the Kenyan high commissioner in Tanzania walked for 60 Kilometers from Malindi to Baolala to celebrate after the project was approved by the government. She said that time the road was in bad state full of potholes and murram making it impassible during rainy season. “He went and talked to Uhuru who came and inspected the condition of the road after which construction work begun and is now in good state,” she said. Currently she said its easier for one to go to Malindi within a very short time. She said there are some leaders who claim they are behind the projects but told them that it is the former CS for mining who is capable of initiating such flagship projects only adding that they should leave Kazungu to rule.
So far, she said businesses are booming 
because movement of goods is easy from the farms to Malindi which is improving the living standards of the people. “Expectant mothers are no longer suffering they do not deliver while on their way to hospital due to the bad road, now it takes less than a half an hour to reach hospitals and mothers deliver safely,” she said. Akoa Nassir a resident of Malindi said the road ended many years of agony for residents as it used to be impassible and dusty. “Since the road was constructed, we have witnessed major transformation as tuk tuks, boda bodas and probox vehicles are very many unlike before when there used to be very few passenger vehicles and it took hours to reach Malindi,” she said.
John Zware a Bodaboda operator said the road has reduced costs of fuel and time taken to reach Malindi town. He said that time one would take hours to reach Malindi but now it takes less than 20 minutes to reach the town. Mung’aro and Kazungu will battle out in the race for the Governor in the 2022 General elections. During the funeral attended by Raila the CAS said he was fit to be the next governor because he initiated the Malindi Sala gate road, Baricho bridge, Mariakani Bamba, Sabaki Marafa road and many other projects.