Gatundu Dam | The Spotlight Post

Gatundu South Member of Parliament Moses Kuria now says he was very bitter with his neigbours following President Uhuru Kenyatta’s visit on Monday August 1.

This even as the vocal lawmaker blasted Uhuru for commissioning multi-billion projects in Mt. Kenya with just barely a week to the August 9 general election.

In a statement, Kuria stated that Gatundu North residents should have tried to pretend that all was well while the Head of State was addressing them.

“Gatundu North. I am very upset with you. Is this how you respond to a visitor, a neighbour, a President ?”
says Kuria.

Kuria termed Uhuru’s move as a ploy to hoodwink Kiambu residents into Azimio La Umoja Coalition corner, which in an open defiance, the two-time Gatundu South lawmaker maintained that all was not lost and freedom was on its way.

*President Uhuru Kenyatta launching a Ksh. 24bn Karimenu II Dam in Gatundu. PHOTO: COURTESY*

Uhuru toured Kiambu County to commission the Ksh24 billion Karimenu II Dam which was conceived in 2019 under the government’s Vision 2030.

“I know you have gotten absolutely nothing from his 10 years as President and your constituency lacks water despite you hosting Ksh24 Billion Karimenu Dam, but you should have tried to pretend. Anyway, freedom is coming tomorrow my dear neighbours,”
added Kuria.

Kuria is running for Kiambu county top seat under his party Chama Cha Kazi, an affiliate party of the Kenya Kwanza coalition. He seeks to dislodge incumbent James Nyoro, who is defending his seat on a Jubilee ticket, an affiliate party of Azimio coalition.

He won his first and second term in Gatundu South on a Jubilee ticket but fell out with the Head of State after the handshake between Uhuru and Raila in March 2018. This was followed by his ouster as the Vice Chairperson of the Transport, Infrastructure, Public Works and Housing Committee in the National Assembly.

Kuria reiterated his controversial statement that the Mt. Kenya region had been neglected in infrastructure development compared to the rest of the country by the Jubilee government.

The President also issued 14,000 title deeds to Gatundu North residents, after which he drummed up support for Raila Odinga, Azimio’s flag bearer and his running mate Martha Karua.

“Don’t vote for thieves or else you will regret it. Be very careful not to vote for thugs because I wouldn’t want to hear that you are in the cold. There are those moving around speaking so nicely to you and making weird promises, but their deeds and talks behind the scenes are venomous. I plead with you to be wary of these people,”
Uhuru told Gatundu residents.

The president noted his deputy and allies have been touring Mt Kenya region, tarnishing his name to an extent of dragging his mother, former First Lady Mama Ngina Kenyatta, in their dirty politics, instead of supporting him in his development agenda and uniting the country.

President Uhuru Kenyatta commissioned the Ksh24 billion Karimenu II Dam in Gatundu North, Kiambu County on Monday, August 1.

The Vision 2030 flagship project started in 2019 with joint funding from the Governments of Kenya and China.

Other key projects alongside the dam include a water treatment plant laying of 67 km of raw and treated water transmission pipelines and two concrete water storage tanks in Ruiru and Juja each with a capacity of 23.5 million litres and 5 million litres respectively.

“The 59-metre high dam occupying 600 acres of land will supply 70 million litres of water daily to close to 1 million residents of Gatundu, Juja, Ruiru and parts of Nairobi City,” a statement from State House read in part.

*The Ksh24 billion Karimenu II Dam in Gatundu North, Kiambu County: TWITTER*

It has two terminal tanks with capacities of 23,500 cubic metres and 3,000 cubic metres in Ruiru and Juja, respectively.

The 59 metres deep project was supposed to be completed in March this year but was derailed due to succession and land compensation challenges.

*Karimenu II Dam in Gatundu North, Kiambu County: TWITTER*

Uhuru promised to settle all pending compensation claims for land owners who ceded their land for the project noting that the funds had been factored into this year’s budget.

With just eight days left to the August 8 General Election, the President rallied Gatundu North residents to elect leaders allied to Azimio La Umoja Coalition led by presidential candidate Raila Odinga and running mate Martha Karua saying the duo was best placed to steer the country forward.

The Head of State, who was on a working tour of Kiambu County, also presided over the issuance of 14,000 title deeds to area residents at Kamangu Primary School grounds in Kikuyu.

His working tour in the region formed part of the busy schedule that saw him launch other landmark projects worth billions of shillings as he prepares to retire.

On July 27, he launched the revitalized 217km Nakuru – Kisumu Meter Gauge Railway (MGR) and the Nakuru central railway station during a development tour of the county.

The 465km Longonot – Malaba segment of the railway line was also commissioned. There will be an aggregation hub for farm produce from the agriculturally-rich Central Rift region for onward freight to the Coast for export.

The Nakuru Railway station will be an important stopover for transit trains destined for Eldoret, Kisumu, Kitale, Malaba, and Kampala. It will also open up the area for more business.

In Vihiga County, the president awarded Kaimosi Friends University College (KAFUCO) a university charter. KAFUCO is the first university in the County and is regarded as Uhuru’s retirement gift to the county.