Busia county leaders have condemned Funyula MP Wilberforce Mudenyo for opposing the construction of an airstrip in Nangina ward.
Busia woman representative Florence Mutua and Eugene Masombo termed the move by Funyala MP to block the airstrip as retrogressive.
Mutua said it was surprising that one would refuse a major development in his constituency while other MPs were yearning for such projects.
Mudenyo has opposed the project insisting that his constituency does not need an airstrip at the moment but other development like roads.
The Busia woman representative said the MP had been misled and was unable to see the future gains of the project.
Mutua said it was foolhardy for one to oppose a project that had already been budgeted for and passed by the same house he sits in.
She added that the project had been located Sh50 million and some of the procedures like feasibility study had been done.
“If the area is not suitable then public participation with the constituents should be done to agree on the best area but not deny residents’ such a project for selfish gain,” Mutua said.
Mutua said Busia was big and urgently needs an airstrip.
The woman rep said the airstrip will create employment for residents and make movement easier.
Masombo warned Mudenyo never to use politics to block progressive projects like the airstrip when he had not initiated any meaningful project to uplift the lives of Funyula people.
“I am shocked beyond words that the sitting MP for Funyula Oundo Mudenyo is opposed to the construction of an airstrip in his constituency with no tangible reason,” Masombo said.
He said Samia had not benefited from any infrastructural project for many years and if the MP could oppose such a project he was leading residents in the wrong direction.
“An airstrip next to Nangina hospital provides an opportunity for easy evacuation of patients who have been referred to Eldoret or Nairobi in emergency cases,” Masombo said.
He added that the airstrip would stimulate economic activity not only in Nangina but the entire constituency and give jobs to jobless youths in the constituency.
Masambo said the project will increase the value of land, provide market for rental houses, food produce and the hotel industry in the area.
Edited by Henry Makori