Senator Kathuri tells off Mwangaza over MTF, calls her to embrace local contractors

The Meru Senator Kathuri Murungi has poured scorn on Governor Kawira Mwangaza’s move to partner with the Mechanical and Transport Fund (MTF) in improving road infrastructure in the County.

Disparaging the mover, Kathuri opposed the decision noting that it has denied local contractors job and also led to capital flight.

“Let me be clear that I oppose the decision and the move of the Meru County Government to engage and employ the services of the Mechanical and Transport Fund. In my view, this move reverses gains made in the empowerment of local contractors and engagement of 21 local communities, particularly the youth,” Senator Kathuri said during his County address at the Meru County Assembly on Wednesday.

“By transferring services to a national government entity, the county government acts as an enabler of capital flight from Meru County, denying opportunities to the local contractors and those directly employed by them,” the Meru Senator added.

The Meru Senator argued that MTF has no capacity to hand all the roads in the 45 Meru County wards within one financial year.

According to the Senator majority of the roads in the wards are in dilapidated state as they have not been attended to for the as two rainy seasons.

“Meru County residents have not gotten value for money for the KES. 531 million was transferred to the Mechanical Transport Fund (MTF) of the national government, contrary to the tenet principles of devolution,” Kathuri noted.

He called on governor Mwangaza to reconsider the move of using MTF calling on her to give priority to the local contractors.

“The county should swing into action and rehabilitate the roads destroyed by the rains and improve the quality of the existing roads in every ward. To this end, I urge them to work with the 23 county assembly members to identify the roads that should be prioritized,” Kathuri added.