Pangani residents protest over Mueni Road neglect, demand immediate government action

Residents of Mueni Road in Pangani, within Starehe Constituency, staged a peaceful protest on Tuesday over the deteriorating condition of the road, which they say has been neglected for more than three years.

Joined by boda boda riders and other road users, the demonstrators temporarily blocked a section of the road, demanding urgent intervention from the government.

They expressed frustration over the worsening state of the road, which is riddled with large, water-filled potholes. Residents described the potholes as “semi-lake-like,” often filled with stagnant, muddy water that makes the road impassable for vehicles, motorcycles, and pedestrians.

Protesters accused government officials of ignoring their repeated pleas. They said they had reached out to Starehe MP Amos Mwago, Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja, and the Kenya Urban Roads Authority, but none had responded or taken steps to address the issue.

Abdikarim Soyaan, a long-time resident, stated that the poor condition of the road has led to a rise in insecurity in the area. He cited a recent case where a local shop was robbed twice, and police officers were unable to respond in time due to the impassable road.

"We are hereby telling the government, enough is enough. We cannot take this anymore," said Abdikarim.

Disrupted family’s routine

Afsana Ruhaila, a mother living along Mueni Road, shared how the road has disrupted her family’s routine. She said school buses can no longer reach their home, forcing her to walk long distances every morning with her children to Juja Road, where the buses can pick them up.

"School buses cannot access this road. We are forced to wake up early and take our children to Juja Road, which is inconvenient and a waste of time," she said.

Boda boda riders operating in the area also raised concerns about safety.

Johana Wamalwa, one of the riders, said the deep potholes and gullies have made it extremely risky to operate on the road. He recalled a recent incident where a fellow rider fell while transporting a mother and her school-going child.

"People fall here every day, especially the elderly. The other day, one of us fell with a mother who was a customer together with a school-going child," said Wamalwa.

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• Pangani residents protest over Mueni Road neglect
• demand immediate government action

Safety fears

Another rider, Chrisantus Oyota, echoed the concerns and said many residents now avoid using boda bodas due to safety fears.

"We are suffering. We are falling off our bikes. We don't get customers as they fear falling here," he said.

Oyota also criticised elected leaders for failing to act, despite being fully aware of the problem.

"We have an MP, an MCA, and a governor who are not working and not helping us when we need them. They have to repair this road. If they don’t want to, they should resign. We cannot live this kind of life, yet we voted for them," Oyota added.

The residents vowed to continue pushing for action until the road is repaired.

They urged the Kenya Urban Roads Authority, the Starehe MP, and the Nairobi County government to act swiftly to restore the road and improve daily life in the community.