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Residents and leaders in Juja, Kiambu County are upbeat that elevation of the busy urban area to a municipality will spur social-economic developments thereby reducing poverty and bettering service delivery.

The sub-county is among Gatundu, Githunguri, Githurai, Kabete and Lari that Governor Kimani Wamatangi conferred municipality status last year to fast-track developments for better livelihoods. With a population of over 300,000, the sub-county is set for life-changing infrastructural development after it was awarded Sh149 million by the World Bank for its upgrade.

Among the areas that are set to benefit from the annual funding are Kalimoni, Juja Town, Murera, Witeithie and Theta Wards which will equally share the available resources to combat poverty, inequality, youth unemployment, insecurity alongside enhancing accessibility.

According to Juja MCAs led by Godfrey Mucheke of Kalimoni Ward who is also the county assembly majority leader, elevation of Juja to a municipality will see the sub-county receive extra funds that will complement county and national allocations for accelerated developments.

Rural-urban migration

Mucheke revealed that the allocation by the World Bank is done on the basis of population and with the rising rural-urban migration, Juja will continue to receive increased allocations to fast-track key infrastructural progresses. “We are hopeful that the allocation we received for a start will increase going forward as the population continues to rise here in Juja. We are grateful for the elevation of this sub-county into a municipality. The elevation comes with more money for developments which is what we have been advocating for,” said Mucheke.

His sentiments were echoed by his counterparts from other Wards among them Mwibiri Ngugi (Witeithie), Ngatha Wambiri (Murera) and Muiruri Munana (Theta) who revealed that their respective regions which are dominated by micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) will witness enhanced developments.

Among other things, the MCAs singled out installation of cabros along dilapidated feeder roads, election of street lights, modernization of the current drainage systems among other areas to not only urbanize the sub-county but also create new job opportunities for the youth.

“We have several polytechnics where our youths are making cabros and to promote them and create more job opportunities for the youth, we have proposed that we start installing cabros in areas mostly struggling with the derelict state of roads,” said Wambiri.

“Witeithie has the most dilapidated roads and installation of cabros alongside the tarmacking of Witeithie-Maraba road which is currently impassable is key and will go a long way in opening up remote villages for further developments,” said Mwibiri.