Mavoko residents protest over poor roads, impassable bridge

Over 500 Mavoko residents have protested against the poor Devki – Kinanie–Joska Road alongside the impassable Mto Wa Mawe Bridge within Kinanie ward, Machakos.

The locals on Friday braved the cold weather to demonstrate along the road at the bridge as they called for President Ruto’s administration to intervene to have both the bridge and road fixed.

The bridge has been washed away by raging floods following the ongoing heavy rains thereby cutting off transport on the road.

The only alternative way is a road connecting Kinanie shopping centre through Daystar University from Mombasa Road.

A spot check by the Star on Friday established that the said bridge was impassable due to its deplorable state.

It has developed serious cracks with its sections already disconnected.

Some bodaboda operators, however, still risk their lives and those of pillion passengers by crossing the bridge exposing them to great danger.

The residents while holding the protests barricaded the tarmacked road connecting Kinanie to Mombasa road through Daystar University, Athi River campus.

The whole of the Devki – Kinanie – Joska road (27 kilometres) is in a deplorable state.

The road connects Mombasa Road to Kangundo Road.

“We are protesting today due to the poor state of this road and impassible bridge. The bridge has been washed away by floods and we are worried about our fate going forward,” Samora estate residents’ chairman Paul Misiko said.

They addressed the press at the bridge during the protests on Friday.

Misiko said he had been using the same road for the last five years since he settled in the area.

The residents expressed their worries about the tribulations teachers and children will have to undergo as schools reopen for the second term on Monday.

“Schools will be opened on Monday, children can’t access their schools since the damaged bridge has cut off the area, and we can’t go to work,” Misiko said.

“We want the government to intervene by fixing both the bridge and road as matters of priority. This road had a contractor who was on site, but he abandoned it.” 

He said Transport CS Kipchumba Murkomen should visit the road to witness the problems they were going through due to the road’s poor state.

“We have lost some three men here trying to cross the river at the bridge. Some drowned while trying to cross the river through the sewer line,” Misiko said.

Misiko said some industries had been closed down in the area due to the road’s status.

He said the road had been in pathetic condition for years now, but the heavy rains worsened the situation and even washed away the bridge.

“From here to Mombasa road is only 2.5 kilometres, but we are forced to access Nairobi through Joska which is 24.5 kilometres. We are using a lot of fuel,” Misiko said.

Misiko said some residents had taken leave from their workplaces and were worried since they were almost returning to work and the road situation more deplorable.

“We don’t know what to do, whether we will be sacked or die while crossing the river,” Misiko said.

Machakos County chief of staff Lawrence Ngovi visited the road during the demonstrations and addressed the residents at the bridge.

Ngovi acknowledged that the road was in a pathetic state and needed a quick fix.

He said as a county government, there isn't much they could do on both the road and bridge since it falls under the national government’s mandate.

"Governor Wavinya Ndeti is doing her level best to have this road and bridge fixed. She recently had a meeting with the contractor who had been awarded the tender to construct the road who assured her that he will be back to work soon," Ngovi told reporters at the bridge.

Ngovi, however, recommended that KeNHA should officially close the Mto Wa Mawe Bridge noting that it exposes a security threat to the public.

He urged residents to remain patient as they seek redress from President William Ruto's administration to have the road and bridge fixed.

Resident Jane Bosire said some of them are engaged in farming and were stuck with their produce either in farms or homes. She has lived in Samora for 20 years now and the road’s situation has never been as it is currently.

“Farm produces like vegetables and milk get spoilt since there is no market, and the washed away bridge has cut off transport. Most farmers no longer get to their farms and the situation is serious,” Bosire said.

“Schools are far, nobody can bring his matatu here, residents suffer with their patients, no maternity hospitals around, traders have closed shop, all because of poor road. I don’t have the energy to go around 18 kilometres to access Mombasa road,” Bosire said.

Florence Mwangangi said the bridge became impassable immediately after the heavy rains started pounding the area in March.

Mwangangi said the road initially served over 1, 000 vehicles daily.

She said the government should use the Emergency Fund to support those affected by floods in the area.

“Kinanie has lots of potential including the Leather City, but it’s inaccessible. The poor state of the road has hampered our development. Where will school buses pass while taking children to school on Monday,” Mwangangi said.

Cecilia Ndinda who deals in the vegetable business (mama mboga) in the area said they no longer had anything to celebrate due to the poor road.

“I go for vegetables in Kinanie and depend on bodaboda operators for transport. They initially charged Sh400 from Devki to Kinanie but charged Sh1,000. There isn’t any business in the trade, life has become difficult,” Ndinda said.