During a public participation forum held on Wednesday within Murang’a town, the residents complained about public service vehicles using parking bays because they cannot also fit in designated bus terminus.
They claimed that motorists have been forced to park their vehicles outside the town as there are limited spaces, which most of the times are occupied by matatus as they cannot be accommodated in designated bus termini.
The residents further complained of the upsurge of hawkers, who are also using parking bays to sell their merchandise.
Led by Francis Manyeki, the resident asked Murang’a Municipality Board to move in haste and lease idle parcels of land to create more parking spaces.
Manyeki said there are some pieces of land within the town that can be turned into parking spaces to ease the congestion of vehicles currently witnessed in the town.
During the public participation organized by members of the municipal board, issues pertaining to uncollected garbage, malfunctioning floodlights, and hawking of food featured prominently.
Hotel owners argued that there was a need to have businesses regulated in the town, as hawking was a threat to licensed premises.
They said those operating hotels could be major losers as hawkers have been selling foods outside their premises.
The business community proposed for the establishment of a municipal court to deal with petty offences and called for a ban on food hawking within the town.
Elsewhere, St James Cathedral ACK Provost Rev Jane Karanja said the county government should do more to improve the standards of Murang’a Mortuary.
“More attention should be on the cleanliness of the mortuary as the board looks into the improvement of the compound used by the public,” said the provost.
The Board Chairman Mr Benson Githinji assured residents that all their grievances would be looked at and standards of services improved.
He noted that the Municipal Board was currently implementing projects Urban Support program which is funded by World Bank.
“I want to assure local residents that they will be fully involved in planning, garbage collection, and beautification programs,” added Githinji.