Kakamega road becomes impassable as rains set in

Workers on the Lurambi-Navakholo-Musikoma road September 10, 2019. The road became impassable after heavy rains. PHOTO | ISAAC WALE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

Heavy rains have damaged sections of the Lurambi-Ingotse-Navakholo-Musikoma road in Kakamega County, disrupting transport services for the last two weeks.

The ongoing tarmacking of the C 41 road has stopped after contractors involved in the project reportedly withdrew services.

Motorists have had a nightmare navigating muddy sections of the road at Ingotse and Shikoti markets after their vehicles were stuck for several hours.

Lurambi MP Titus Khamala has petitioned Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i to intervene and ensure tarmacking of the 31 kilometre stretch of road is not delayed any further.

He said since Mr Matiang’i was appointed by President Uhuru Kenyatta to chair a committee mandated to supervise all government projects, including the Jubilee government’s legacy-driven “Big Four” agenda, he needs to visit and inspect the project to ensure the contractors take their work seriously.

“We have had problems with the tarmacking of the road since the contractor pulled out due to non-payment. The road is in bad shape and needs urgent maintenance to open up access to rural parts of Navakholo and Lurambi constituency,” said Mr Khamala.

Reports indicate one of the contractors working on the road from Lurambi trading centre stopped work after completing a stretch of a 4.5 kilometres stretch which was due for tarmacking.

The second contractor who started working on the road from Navakholo market has tarmacked 5 kilometres but pulled out due to non-payment.

Bishop Khamala said contractors had given the impression that they were not serious about the project and the government need to intervene.

President Kenyatta and his Deputy William Ruto commissioned the tarmacking of the road before the 2017 presidential polls.

But there has been little progress in the in works due to stoppages caused by bad weathers and reported lack of capacity by the contractors.

Bishop Khamala said he had been monitoring the progress of the works and was disappointed by the contractors whom he accused of dragging their feet.

“Residents of Navakholo and Lurambi are suffering because of the poor state of the road which has disrupted economic activities in the region.

The rains have damaged the Shianda-Malaha-Navakholo road in Kakamega East constituency.

A grader was yesterday carrying out maintenance works on the road which is set to be tarmacked by the national government.

Residents of Mumias East constituency had asked their MP Benjamin Washiali to raise the issue of the delayed tarmacking of the road it became impassable due to heavy rains.