Ndhiwa MP Martin Owino has appealed to the national government to construct the dilapidated 48km Rodi Kopany–Sori road.
The road has been prone to accidents that have claimed lives. Huge potholes make it unmotorable as drivers complain about wear and tear. It connects Sori, a town known for fish production and trade, to a number of towns in Homa Bay and Kisumu counties.
On Monday, Owino said the government has delayed reconstruction, despite Transport Cabinet Secretary James Macharia being aware of its condition. He said the road had been reclassified under the Kenya National Highways Authority (Kenha). Previously, it was under the Kenya Rural Roads Authority (Kerra).
"I've personally applied diplomatic ways to mobilise the Ministry of Transport to construct the road, but no action had been taken. Let the government fulfil its promise to help many Kenyans who depend on it," he said.
But Kenha regional director Phelix Osongo said the road used to belong to them until 2017 when it was reclassified under Kerra by the Kenya Roads Board.
"We are told the road is in the process of being classified back to Kenha, but we have not got official communication on the transfer," he said.
Most motorists opt for dusty feeder roads to avoid wrecking their cars. George Otengo said they suffer huge losses. "We waste more than two and hours because of the road. We also spend a lot of money we make in repairing our vehicles," he said.
Owino regretted that the road is jeopardising economic growth. "Fish from Sori and agricultural products cannot be transported effectively because of poor state of this road," he said.
Women in Ndhiwa raised concerns that pregnant mothers and patients die from complications caused when travelling to Homa Bay County Referral Hospital.
"It takes one to two hours to travel from Ndhiwa to Homa Bay town, instead of 20 minutes because of the poor state of the road. This has led to deaths of women who develop complications during labour pain," Roda Atieno said.
