In pictures: Ronald Ngala, Tom Mboya street, undergoing major facelift

Ronald Ngala street and a section of Tom Mboya stretch, in Nairobi, are currently undergoing massive facelift.

The ongoing upgrade work has seen entire sections of the old, weather-beaten pavements uprooted. The entire stretch looks like a bomb scene, but residents are happy. 

Tired rock boulders have been peeled off the over 100-year-old surface, leaving an avalanche or soils, tiny pit holes and more rocks, littering the sides of the road.

Many residents told Wananchi Reporting that the inconvenience is a small price to pay compared to the benefit the renovations will bring.

“I am happy that the county government has taken this important step to renovate these walkways. This will definitely make the city more appealing,” said Anne Maingi – a resident of South B.

She adds that: “It was time the county government did something to improve the walkways especially downtown.”

Pedestrians have in the past complained about absence of proper walkways -- with the populous Ronald Ngala street, River road, select parts of Tom Mboya, and Race Course road being the most affected.

The ongoing works along Ronald Ngala have seen pavements of shops adjacent to the road also undergo renovations.

“It’s going to be a beautiful street once it is complete, and this is what we want as pedestrians and residents of the city,” said Evans Wafula, a resident of Nairobi.

The only concern among residents is the fact that traders and hawkers have often taken over these walkways once they are done.