- The county commissioner at the same time warned road encroachers to move from road reserves to pave way for construction and maintenance.
- Mwangi said action will be taken against the encroachers.
Image: MUSEMBI NZENGU
Kakamega County Commissioner Meru Mwangi has warned sand harvesters especially those plying their trade along road reserves to stop.
Speaking during an inspection of road projects under the annuity programme, the commissioner asked chiefs and their assistants to ensure the harvesters mine sand in designated areas that do not pose danger to residents.
He at the same time warned road encroachers to move from road reserves to pave way for construction and maintenance.
Mwangi said action will be taken against the encroachers while also asking contractors to monitor the road they are constructing against destruction by heavy duty trucks ferrying ballast and other construction materials.
The commissioner was speaking after inspecting Lutonyi-Kakamega and Ilesi-Kakamega roads which are part of the programme meant to design, construct and maintain roads in the country.
In Kakamega town, the annuity programme targeted the 7.6-kilometre Kakamega-Ilesi road and the Lutonyi-Kakamega road which is a 3-kilometre road, whose upgrade begun on February 16, 2022 and completed in February 2024.
The two roads totalling to 10.6 Kilometres are part of the 80km countrywide road annuity programme being undertaken by the government at an approximately Sh35 billion.
The Western Kenya Deputy Director of Kenya Urban Roads Authority Daniel Nderitu said in the programme, the construction of roads is undertaken by a consortium who designs, constructs and maintains the roads through performance based contracting maintenance for eight years.
He however noted that despite the completion of the road construction, some people who were asked to move to pave way for the upgrade of those roads and received compensation have started encroaching into the road corridor.
“We have agreed with the county commissioner that we will identify those who are getting back on the road corridor and do letters to them to request them to move back within a certain period, after which we will be forced to move them back because they are already compensated,” he said.