"residents of city's Muthurwa estate no longer at ease"

I. “Residents of city’s Muthurwa estate no longer at ease”, 3/28/08, Daily nation: Kenya’s premier newspaper; www.nationmedia.com/dailynation

II. This article speaks of the massive change and negative effects caused by the once quiet Muthurwa estate near the city of Nairobi, into a governmental terminus for transportation. This road which was meant for better interaction and communication with Nairobi has turned into a massive social disaster. Unfortunately, this terminus has been built through what was once a market street for trade and commerce. It has left the close neighbors in an uproar complaining they have no privacy, peace, and also saying it’s a health hazard with open windows, doors etc. in the residents’ homes. Even children have now become endangered by all the construction and have been seen playing on the machines which were over their once empty land. Residents are looking towards the government for complaints and have redirected their ideas from optimistic excitement into complaining agony. The government has tried to wipe their people’s tears by establishing a certain entrance into the road instead of having people from all over crossing and hitting into each other. This solution has been beneficial, but not to the extent of the people’s content.
III.
A) This article best fits in with the theme State-building, expansion, and conflict because it relates to the governmental project and building of state roads as well as the revolts that came along with it. The people have revolted and become against this state- building causing larger conflict in the area.

B) The whole idea of a massive project and creation of huge roads is and has always seemingly been new for the plains of Africa. They are known to have been more used to trade by caravan, walking or some other land based way of transportation. Even until this day, they use street markets for the selling of goods. A road to interrupt all this especially in the simple streets of Africa just doesn’t seem natural to its people. It would seem regular for a country such as Italy who’s much into big business and transportation, but Africa has always been known to not be an area of extreme business but of more beauty. Any new invitation to disrupt this peace would of coarse bring strife.
C) Oliver Mathenge, an African man, is the author of this article. He’s a true born native who’s spent much of his reporting times recently on this issue and knows a lot about it. He’s published many other news reports about different aspects of the article and included his and others’ voices upon the issue.
D) Being he has stayed loyal to this article for so long, it may be possible he is writing to persuade others to agree with him on the issue. Mr. Mathenge states that, “It makes one wonder whether the government has considered the area inhabited with people,” casting a negative sarcasm on the face of his leaders even though the government originally implanted this road for good. One resident even complains that the once controlled thieves are going to start coming into their houses and take the people’s prospects even though he may just be stating that out of anger with all the commotion and to start tension in others making the article written with opinion and maybe not just straight facts.
E) I’d like to hear what the government thinks about all this. They had intended it at first as a convenience for the people and now they are getting blamed for it. If they spoke into this article, it’s believable they might be able to ease the tension going on in the residents and maybe calm some fighting down. Their opinion and thoughts might wash away the conflict and cause a tighter trust between the government and its people.
F) I personally don’t agree with the people in one sense. Of coarse I know if I lived there, I wouldn’t want a new road built in for the same reasons they now don’t either. I disagree with them because they were excited about the idea at first and didn’t think about the consequences originally and just had the road built. Only half way through did they realize the damage and want to turn back. I think the residents should’ve thought more on the matter before letting it roll out so quickly and maybe this problem could’ve been avoided.