- The closure of the 57.1-kilometre Kasoiyo-Tenges-Saos Road comes after a landslide at Borowonin area in Baringo County.
- A landslide triggered by heavy rains severed a crucial section of the Kabarnet-Eldama Ravine Road on Monday, causing significant disruptions to traffic flow in the region.
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Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KeRRA) has closed down a section of Kabarnet-Eldama Ravine Road after a landslide.
The closure of the 57.1-kilometre Kasoiyo-Tenges-Saos Road comes after a landslide at Borowonin area in Baringo County.
A landslide triggered by heavy rains severed a crucial section of the Kabarnet-Eldama Ravine Road on Monday, causing significant disruptions to traffic flow in the region.
Baringo Central Subcounty KeRRA official, Danstan Nyachiro, said the move will pave way for a contractor on site carrying out maintenance to assess the damage and repair the affected points before it is certified for public use.
Nyachiro who requested the public to remain patient as repair works are undertaken.
He further directed motorists plying the road to use alternative routes during the closure period.
These include the Tenges-Kabsenet-Kaptipsokon-Kituro and Tartar-Kabasis-Bosin.
The exercise is expected to last for about two weeks.
Nyachiro advised motorists plying the busy route to exercise caution as more cracks have started to develop along the sloppy section posing danger to users.
The official who spoke to KNA at the collapsed section said KeRRA will be collaborating with security personnel in directing vehicles at the two entry points of the road at Kasoiyo in Baringo Central and in Saos in Koibatek Subcounties to avert risks.
Nyachiro who issued a general caution to motorists stated that as heavy downpour continues to be experienced in many parts of the country motorists should be extra careful and ensure they have functioning headlights and avoid speeding, especially at night or when there is fog.
“Motorists be careful because this is a rainy season and the roads are slippery, so we request you to reduce your speed and carry maximum passengers in order to save lives,” he advised.
Baringo Deputy Governor, Felix Kimaiyo, who visited the scene to assess the damage caused by the landslide lauded KeRRA and other stakeholders for their prompt response to the natural disaster.
He said the road is a crucial infrastructure which links Eldama Ravine and Kabarnet, which is the County Headquarters.
Kimaiyo called on motorists to heed the directive given by the roads authority by using alternative routes to avoid putting their lives and those of passengers in jeopardy.
Kimaiyo however called for routine inspection and maintenance of the road constructed in 1985 and is in dire need of proper rehabilitation.
His sentiments were echoed by other leaders led by area Member of County Assembly (MCA) Alex Kurui.
Other MCAs present include John Tarus (Sacho), Henry Kigen (Tenges) and Ernest Kibet (Kabarnet).
They all called for culverting of the road to improve the drainage system adding that most of the culverts have been blocked leading to flooding of the roads whenever there is heavy downpour.
In his remarks, Kibet urged KeRRA to expand the road which has sharp bends to minimise accidents occasioned by overspeeding and poor visibility due to frequent fog witnessed along the meandering road.
Zakayo Kandagor, a resident, stated that the last time a similar scenario happened was in 2012.
He said during the incident, a landslide cut off the road and extended to villages where lives were lost, families displaced and properties of huge magnitude destroyed.
Kandagor who called for the unblocking of culverts also urged the concerned agencies to control the use of heavy commercial vehicles ferrying quarry stones.
He observed that the vehicles have led to rapid deterioration of the critical infrastructure.