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‘Six million dollar’ bridge divides Africans on Twitter
While service delivery seems to be a problem across Africa, Kenyans think their governor took it too far with this 'disaster' of a bridge.
Bridge in Kenya. Picture: Twitter
Kenyan Twitter dominated social media on Wednesday following a picture of governor Alfred Mutua inspecting a bridge he built for the people of Machakos County.
The pictures were shared by South African parody account @AdvBarryRoux with the caption: “Meanwhile, Kenya Governor Mutua launching a $6 million bridge. In my country bridges like this one are built by Nyoape boys to help us pedestrians cross to the other side of the mud.”
https://twitter.com/AdvBarryRoux/status/1062722069249605632
https://twitter.com/Machakos1stLady/status/1062806131486142472
An exchange of words started between the First Lady and her followers, who slammed her for defending a “disaster”.
She said: “Two very clear photos. First: How [the] bridge was before. Second: Ongoing works. To verify, visit the actual area! We must stop pulling each other down. We must! Let’s rise together!”
https://twitter.com/Machakos1stLady/status/1062808693375410177
Blogger Abraham Mutai also defended the bridge, saying the governor was not launching but inspecting its progress.
“It is 50% complete and it costs is less than $20,000. Shame on you (sic),” he told @AdvBarryRoux.
On why the people of Machakos attended an “inspection”, Mutai responded: “Governors in Kenya are pretty popular. Wherever they go, citizens gather to receive them and listen to them. So is Governor Mutua. He was passing by touring water projects… What do you want? He to ignore citizens? You sound so petty.”
But Kenyans were not backing down, @SduhMajola shared a picture of another bridge which apparently cost five million dollars.
https://twitter.com/sduhMajola/status/1062755510464733186
Kenyans had a field day on Twitter, criticising governors who they accused of sleeping on the job. They used the hashtag #CongratulationsGovernor to share all the promises the governors allegedly failed to fulfil.
These are some of the tweets:
@Machakos1stLady help thank My Governor for this world class bridge.. I can’t thank him personally since he blocked me 👀#CongratulationsGovernor pic.twitter.com/msJHVuxbcQ
— Benedict Kimotho (@GlobalAccessInv) November 14, 2018
#CongratulationsGovernor @DrAlfredMutua you promised Kenyans from Machakos this and you have done it #AlexNaJalas😂😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/cpYCwapnw9
— Bonface Angatia (@BonifaceAngatia) November 14, 2018
#CongratulationsGovernor H.E James ongwae launched this for 6M in local diallect we call it egetacho @CisNyakundi @mwalimu_ombui @EngnrDan @cyprianongeri1 pic.twitter.com/wmqkLkKpvB
— Bevalyne Kwamboka (@bevalynekwambo3) November 14, 2018
While i am busy searching for any just any achievement or improvement made in my county taita taveta..nothing absolutely nothing #CongratulationsGovernor
— Ruthmwakesi (@ruthmwakesi) November 14, 2018
Early this year Nyeri county proposed a 200m house for the governor and a 20m GATE #CongratulationsGovernor
— Sam Nyangowo (@SNyangowo) November 14, 2018
#CongratulationsGovernor wambora for turning embu county into the least developed county and turning our stadium into a grazing field and losing huge sums of money on gates and talent academies
— themusicpuppeteer (@DeejayDerrick) November 14, 2018
#CongratulationsGovernor mike sonko. Security is tight at C.B.D pic.twitter.com/N7xdeZep81
— village idiot🇰🇪 (@kahuria_patrick) November 14, 2018
No scandal has ever hurt me like this. It's right in my village. Ksh 5M was set aside for construction of the bridge. This structure was still there but very rusty, they just painted it blue and 3months later BOOM grand opening of a new bridge.#CongratulationsGovernor pic.twitter.com/2P0BRHVmHz
— KABABA (@GeneralWaitish) November 14, 2018
Meanwhile at Mwala hospital in Machakos county patient's life at risk. Pata shida chap chap #CongratulationsGovernor @DrAlfredMutua pic.twitter.com/GB7y1tHdp6
— Real Martoh (@realmartoh) November 14, 2018
Nyandarua governor Francis Kimemia together with County officials traveled in these SUVS to launch an iron sheet ECD class. County governments delivers #CongratulationsGovernor pic.twitter.com/UO8wytn39N
— Real Martoh (@realmartoh) November 14, 2018
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