Residents of Limuru, Kiambu County, have raised their voices in protest against the Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA) for exhuming bodies from a community cemetery to pave the way for a road project.
The move has sparked outrage among locals, who have termed it as a blatant show of disrespect to the deceased, their families, and the entire community.
Why Are Residents Protesting?
The angry residents took to the construction site to demonstrate against the exhumation, arguing that while they support road development, they strongly oppose the digging up of fresh graves and piling soil on the remains of their loved ones.
Their grievances include:
- The road project deviates from the agreed route
- Residents claim that the original road plan did not pass through the cemetery, yet KURA has unilaterally changed the construction route.
- Lack of public consultation
- According to the community, no public engagement forums were held to seek their input before KURA proceeded with the exhumation.
- Many claim they never attended any meetings to approve such drastic measures.
- Alternative routes were ignored
- The residents proposed an alternative site for the road construction, but KURA ignored their opinions and continued with the controversial plan.
- Disrespect for the dead
- Many feel that disturbing graves for road expansion is morally unacceptable and culturally insensitive.
- “What we are saying is that you cannot come where people have been buried and exhume them; that is very unfair, and we will not allow it,” said Kinyanjui Kawanjiru, a concerned resident.
KURA’s Alleged Violation of Initial Road Plans
The residents allege that the road was not originally planned to pass through the cemetery.
- They insist that an official investigation into the road alignment was conducted, and it confirmed that the road should take a different route.
- Initially, KURA was allowed to construct a 100-meter road at an alternative location, but residents now accuse the authority of deviating from the agreed plan.
Residents Demand Government Intervention
The protesting residents are now calling upon the local and national government to intervene and stop KURA from going ahead with the exhumation.
- “We are not against the road project. But we want our leaders to respect the resting place of our loved ones,” another resident stated.
- The affected families say they deserve a say in where public projects are built, especially when it involves disrupting cemeteries.
Exhumation for Road Construction Is Not New in Kiambu
This is not the first time that graves have been exhumed in Kiambu County for road construction.
- In September 2023, 21 graves were exhumed in Gitithia village, Lari Kiambu County, to pave the way for the 22-kilometre Maumau road.
- Affected families were compensated with Ksh50,000 each, but many argued that the amount was insufficient to relocate and rebury their loved ones.
What Happens Next?
With increasing resistance from residents, the fate of the road construction project remains uncertain.
- If no agreement is reached, the residents may move to court to block KURA from proceeding.
- Alternatively, government officials may be forced to renegotiate the road’s alignment to avoid further community backlash.
For now, the tension remains high, as the residents vow to continue their protests until their voices are heard.
