Garissa County residents have every reason to smile after the government started the process of tarmacking the Garissa – Dadaab – Liboi road which connects the county to Somalia.
The 211-kilometre road upgrade will start in Tana River County at Madogo junction through Garissa Town-Modika-Dadaab and Kulan urban centres and terminate at Liboi Border post town/Harhar.
According to Kenya National Highway Authority (KeNHA) North Eastern regional director Hannington Kidagisa, they are currently doing the design review for the project, after which the contractor will come in and commence the project.
He spoke during a stakeholder’s engagement at a Garissa hotel on the environmental and social impact assessment,
Kidagisa said the Africa Waste and Environment Management Centre (AWEMAC) has been appointed by KeNHA to undertake the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment and resettlement Action Plan studies for the proposed project.
Other consultants are engaged in doing design reviews and resettlement action plans in preparation for tendering to the project.
The project, which is being funded by the Horn of Africa under the Horn of Africa Development project, is projected to be completed in 18 months.
Local leaders and residents from the county have for years been calling on the national government to prioritise its construction saying this will improve security, and mobility and contribute to the urbanisation of the region.
“This region has been affected by the insecurity due to gravel soil in the road making it easy for the terrorists to set up Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and land mines,” Kidagisa said.
“However, if the road is upgraded to bitumen standard it will improve not only the security but also enhance trade between Kenya and Somalia because it is a key road that connects these two countries.”
Garissa deputy county commissioner Thomas Bett reiterated that the road was an important government project that would ease the movement of people and goods between Kenya and Somalia and help in improving security.
Bett urged speculators to avoid speculation saying the images of those who have settled there have already been captured as well as the premises that will be affected.
“The upgrading of this road is very important because apart from easing transport and accelerating business transactions between Kenya and Somalia and the towns along, it will help improve the security aspect. We have in the past lost many of our security officers through IED attacks which are implanted under the roads,” Bett said.
“We have been waiting for this one road to be upgraded to bitumen standard status for the last 60 years. It will not only help improve the security in our area but also enhance the trade and cross-border business between the two countries and as a result improve the economic status of our people,” he said.