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A group of Gusii leaders want the government to expand Kijauri-Keroka-Kisii highway due to a surge in road accidents in the recent past.
The highway is narrow and cannot accommodate trucks from Nairobi to South Nyanza region.
The leaders said transporters from Mwanza in Tanzania use the highway to ferry goods from Kenya making the rehabilitation of the highway necessary.
Through the Abagusii Council of Elders secretary general Samuel Bosire, the leaders said this has become a death trap.
“The road has narrowed over time due to the heavy commercial vehicles. Initial planners may not have considered this,” Bosire said.
“On Friday, a military truck rammed into a car carrying family members. Such accidents can be avoided if the government commits money for expansion.”
He said the expansion would reduce accidents.
Kitutu Chache South MP Richard Onyonka echoed Bosire’s sentiments.
At least six black spots are featured along the 35km stretch which has left a trail of deaths in the recent past.
The most notorious is Eremo where accidents occur monthly due to potholes and the sharp bend at the bridge crossing to Keumbu from Gianchere shopping centre.
Similar ongoing projects include the rehabilitation of the 172km Isebania-Mukuyu-Kisii-Ahero road project.
Onyonka said the South Nyanza region would be a new commercial hub once the Kisii-Migori-Isebania roads are concluded.
“This calls for the government to undertake more, especially on all feeder roads heading to Kisii and its environs,” he said.
The Isebania-Mukuyu-Kisii-Ahero road project is approximately 172km and it traverses four counties-Migori, Kisii, Homa Bay and Kisumu.
The project starts at Ahero junction on B1 road and moves in a southerly direction through Katito, Onyuongo and Nyabondo to Sondu.
At Sondu it takes a south-westerly direction via Kabondo, Ringa, Ober to Oyugis where it meets C26.
From Oyugis it moves in a southerly direction via Mosocho and Nyamataro where it meets B3 road within Kisii town.
It then moves in a south-westerly direction via Suneka, Gesonso, Gesero, Kamagambo, Rongo, Ranen, Awendo, Uriri, Kakrao near Mukuyu, Migori and terminates at the Isebania border (Sirare).
The major town centres traversed in the southerly direction are Ahero, Awach, Katito, Onywongo, Sondu, Chabera, Kadongo in Kabondo-Kasipur, Ringa, Oyugis and Mosocho.
Others include Nyakoe, Kisii, Suneka, Kamagambo, Rongo, Gucha, Ranen, Sare (Awendo), Uriri, Kakrao(Mukuyu), Migori, Isebania and Nyabikaye.
The road condition has deteriorated over the years due to increased transit traffic.
Currently, the road carriageway width measures 4-5m wide, and increasingly is becoming a major constraint for the main economic activities within the Lake Victoria basin.
Edited by Kiilu Damaris