By A, KNA
Residents of the Kerio Valley are upbeat following the resumption of the construction of the Sh5 billion Tot-Kilangata-Kopasi, road which began in 2021, but stalled due to non-payment to the contractor.
Two area residents, Alice Biwott and Penina Kwamboka said with the peace being experienced in the area, the construction of the road will be a major boost to the economy.
The duo said area residents have been counting loses in the transportation of their farm produce, especially fruits due to the poor state of the road saying most of them rot before they reach the markets.
“Our mangoes have been rotting in lorries before they get to the markets after spending more than three days on the road due to the poor state of the road,” they said.
Kwamboka said with the road, they will no longer have to travel to far off places as traders will come to buy their goods, adding that they will be able to transport their produce to more markets.
The North Rift regional Kenha manager Eng. Philemon Koech said that the contractor had resumed the construction of the road, which will connect Baringo, Elgeyo Marakwet, West Pokot counties among others, after he was paid following the securitization of the road maintenance levy.
Eng. Koech has therefore called on residents to allow the construction of the road to continue, even as the government through the National Lands Commission (NLC) addresses the compensation to those who will lose their land to the road.
The regional manager thanked the county government for waiving fees for gravel materials saying this shows its commitment to having the road completed.
He added that the government was also undertaking design works for the Biretwo-Tot road, which will connect the area to the Iten Kabarnet road, thus opening up the area.
The county NLC coordinator Rebecca Maritim said the commission was undertaking the inspection and valuation of those, whose land will be affected with a view to ensuring that they are compensated.
Area governor Wisley Rotich blamed the insecurity which has affected the area to lack of roads, a situation he said had reduced the Kerio Valley to a criminal’s paradise as security personnel were unable to pursue them once they fled towards the thickets.
He said with the construction of the road, police will be able to patrol, while residents get to transport their produce saying it will be a game changer.
“This area is quite productive and with peace and good infrastructure, we will not only feed ourselves, but also the whole country,” said Rotich.