Narok County has built 12-foot bridges across the county to ease the movement of residents who used to trek for long distances to connect to government facilities and market places.
Speaking while commissioning the footbridge that connects Ngiito and Sirinik villages in Ilmotiok ward, Narok West Sub County, county Governor Patrick Ntutu underscored the importance of the footbridge, saying it will enable the residents to connect to the two villages that are divided by a river.
The bridge, he said, will ease the movement of children to and from school, who previously had challenges crossing the river, especially during rainy seasons when the river floods.
“Ngiito Secondary School is a mega school that has been performing well. The bridge now connects children from Sirinik and Kuto areas to the school,” he said.
The sick, elderly, and mothers seeking postnatal and antenatal services will easily access the health facilities following the completion of the footbridge.
Governor Ntutu recalled that before the construction of the footbridge, the residents used to cross the river via a wooden bridge that was very risky, especially to the children and the elderly.
“I saw the wooden bridge on the social media platform, and I promised myself that I will prioritise building modern footbridges that are secure and comfortable to cross,” he said.
At the same time, the governor revealed that the county government was renovating 22 roads in the ward that are impassable during the rainy season.
“We know this place is a rich agricultural zone. We want our people to get their goods to the market early enough so that they can get value for their money. This will boost the livelihood of our farmers and especially the dairy farmers,” he reiterated.
The locals praised Governor Ntutu for building the bridge, acknowledging that they were enjoying the fruits of devolution.
Mathew Kurui, a resident of Ngiito village, said the bridge was a big relief to the residents who risked crossing the river to access critical services on the other side of the river.
He recalled having rescued children who almost drowned in the river while going to school and, on other occasions, found bodies of people who had been swept by the river.
“This is a good day to us. The bridge will make life easier for us and will boost the economic standards of this area,” he said.
Another resident, David Chelule, reiterated the importance of the bridge in uplifting the standards of education in the area, as children would easily cross to the other side to their schools of their choice.
By Ann Salaton
