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Residents of Mwarustwa in Pongwe-Kikoneni ward, Lunga Lunga constituency, want a bridge that was washed away by floods 11 years ago reconstructed.
The Mwachande bridge has since been a political tool used by politicians, both at the national and county level, to garner votes.
On Thursday, the residents protested the empty promises given by both state officers and politicians while their children miss school.
They say they risk their lives crossing the crocodile-infested Mwachande river or spend more than Sh700 to go round to access schools, hospitals or other crucial government services on the other side of the river.
If they had a bridge, the distance across the river is about 1km.
The residents protested over the same about two years ago, their noise forcing the Kenya Rural Roads Authority to act and bring a contractor on the ground.
The project was said to cost about Sh690 million.
However, the contractor constructed only two pillars and left, leaving the residents livid.
“We don’t know if the problem is with the contractor or with the government. If it is the contractor, who does not even recognise our committee and keeps information away from us, then he should be fired," Juma Mboma, the community’s Mwachande Bridge Taskforce chairman, said.
"If it is the government, then they should release money for the bridge.”
Haki Yetu Organisation officials visited the site on Thursday and found residents discussing the way forward, including petitioning the government for the second time.
Haki Yetu’s Marius Kioko said it is wrong for the local committee of a government project to be kept in the dark about a national government project in their locality.
“The Access to Information Act, 2016 gives the locals rights to know what is happening in their area especially when a government project is being undertaken,” Kioko said.
He said the organisation will conduct a sensitisation meeting in the area to empower residents on social accountability.
Transport CS Kipchumba Murkomen was at the site about a month ago and promised residents that the bridge will be constructed and be completed in seven months, according to locals.
But nothing has happened since then, they say.
The Mwachande bridge is the border between Lunga Lunga and Msambweni constituencies and most services are in Msambweni constituency.
“Most of our children school in Msambweni but they sometimes miss school if parents do not have Sh700 to take them to the learning institutions and back for a day. Either we use the Sh700 or risk them crossing the crocodile-infested river,” Abdalla Chano, the community task force’s secretary, told the Star.
Residents want the government to construct a temporary bridge as they await the completion of the main one.
“We had constructed a temporary wooden one but that was dangerous as it was slippery during rainy days. It was even washed away by floods sometime back,” Chano said.
Eliza Mumo, the community task force’s treasurer, said their children have been left out of the jobs at the construction site.
“Okay, if our children do not have the skills required at the site, do they mean even the manual jobs there cannot be done by our children that they have to bring in people from elsewhere?” Mumo questioned.
Resident Khalfan Ruga said when the Mgogholo bridge in Kilifi county was washed away about a month ago, the government restored it within 48 hours.
“Aren’t we Kenyans enough to be offered such services that we have to wait for 11 years for a bridge to be constructed after the other one was washed away?” Ruga said.
The Mwachande bridge was used to connect Lunga Lunga and Tanzania before the current Lunga Lunga-Likoni road was constructed.
It is the same road that used to transport food to Kongowea market in Mombasa.
“Now our mangoes, coconuts, bananas, and other agricultural products have to rot in the farms or we have to use extra amount to get them to Kongowea market. This is what made many farmers from this region stop farming. It was a loss making venture after the bridge was washed away 11 years ago,” Mboma said.
Residents said when the contractor came on site about two years ago, they put up a project signboard for a few days before removing it.
Juma Mgukuni said his son was attacked by a crocodile and lost an arm while crossing the river to go two school nine years ago.
The son was among three children who were crossing the river when he was attacked.
“We are heading to January when the schools will open. Will we risk our children’s lives crossing the river to school? Now the crocodiles are being spotted again,” Mgukuni said.