Governor Susan Kihika has responded to criticism over the cutting of jacaranda trees and ongoing roadworks along State House Road in Nakuru, insisting the Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA), not the county government, is carrying out the project.
The governor reacted to a social media post by political commentator Manoti Jimmy, who shared photos of a section of road in Nakuru and accused authorities of destroying mature jacaranda trees the create more space for pedestrians.
“Nakuru County. One month apart. They wanted more space for pedestrians, so they cut down the beautiful jacaranda trees,” Manoti wrote, adding that poor leadership and a lack of expertise were among the reasons some development projects fail to meet public expectations.
Susan Kihika on State House Road Tree-Cutting
However, Kihika dismissed the claims linking the project to her administration, saying those criticizing the county government had failed to establish which agency was responsible for the works.
“If you bothered to do a little research, you would know it’s KURA doing those roads and NOT Nakuru County Government,” Kihika wrote on X.
The road project is part of ongoing urban infrastructure upgrades aimed at improving pedestrian movement and easing traffic flow in various parts of Nakuru.
Also Read: Clarification Between El Niño and Heavy Rainfall
The exchange sparked debate online, with some residents expressing concern over the loss of the iconic trees that have for years been associated with Nakuru’s landscape, while others argued that infrastructure projects are necessary to improve mobility and safety in the fast-growing city.
Nakuru has seen rapid urban growth in recent years, prompting investments in roads, drainage systems, and pedestrian walkways.
However, some residents have occasionally questioned the environmental impact of such projects, especially where mature trees are removed.
“It is good you, as a governor, understand who is doing that, which means you do not even have any effort to reason with them and get a solution of not cutting down the trees, then tell us how we are supposed to plant 1 billion trees and even give a holiday to impress the president?” asked Njuguna, an X user.
Others, however, defended the roadworks, arguing that improved pedestrian infrastructure and traffic management remain important as Nakuru continues to expand.
Role of KURA in Roadworks
The Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA) is a state corporation established under the Kenya Roads Act, 2007, with the mandate to manage, develop, rehabilitate, and maintain national urban roads across the country.
KURA is responsible for planning and implementing road projects in cities and urban centers, including road expansion, rehabilitation, construction of pedestrian walkways, drainage systems, and other infrastructure aimed at improving mobility and safety.
The authority oversees national trunk roads within urban areas and works under the Ministry of Roads and Transport.
Following a road reclassification exercise, its responsibilities were expanded to include all national trunk roads passing through urban centres.
Also Read: Ruto Pledges KSh100 Million for New University Construction in Kakamega County
As part of its mandate, KURA also manages road corridors and undertakes projects designed to ease traffic congestion, improve connectivity and support urban growth.
Role of County Government in Roadworks
While KURA manages national urban roads, county governments manage county roads within their jurisdictions.
Their responsibilities include constructing, upgrading, and maintaining local roads, streets, access roads, and related infrastructure such as drainage systems.
This mandate comes from the Constitution, which assigns county transport functions, including county roads, to county governments.
County governments may also work with national agencies such as KURA, the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA), and the Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KeRRA) on projects that affect local communities, including land use, environmental concerns, and public participation.
Follow our WhatsApp Channel and X Account for real-time news updates.
