Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has urged business people in Garissa and Tana River Counties to bring in enough fuel and food commodities in the Towns to avoid running out of supplies in case more rain comes and destroys roads in the region again.
Murkomen, who was speaking during a relief food distribution exercise in Garissa presided over by the Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua yesterday, said that although the Kenya National Highway Authority (KeNHA) has restored traffic on the Nairobi – Garissa highway, it was only a temporary measure and that more rains are likely to cut off the roads again.
“We have been told that the rains will continue and water levels may keep increasing. What we have done now in the affected roads is a temporary measure to restore traffic as we work on permanent repairs because I don’t want people to complain later that we did shoddy work,” Murkomen said.
“I want to request our business people here, those who deal with fuel and essential food items, to bring in more stock that will be able to sustain the people in case the roads are cut off again when the rain resumes,” he added.
The Transport CS said that his Ministry was also working with the Kenya Defense Forces and the Kenya Coast Guard to provide a boat that will rescue those who will be stranded in floods and help people in crossing from Garissa to Madogo towns.
Murkomen further revealed that his ministry has already laid down plans to restore road infrastructure in the northern region of the country to ensure that there are enough road networks.
“We have been allocated Sh1 billion for the El Nino emergency response to restore roads and this region will not be left out. This region will also in the next three years receive Sh 100 billion because we have already planned with our development partners of the projects we are going to undertake here,” Murkomen said.
“We are working with the Ministry of Interior and the KDF so that once the rains stop, they give security to our contractors who will be here to construct not only the roads but also schools, health centres, water pans and boreholes so that we make this region a high potential and connect marginalized areas to other parts of the country,” he added.
By Erick Kyalo
