Residents of Kitale town and its environs want the government to intervene in order to help completion of upgrading of the Kitale-Suam highway.
The residents, mostly traders, made the appeal when they spoke to Kenya News Agency (KNA) on Friday morning.
According to the traders, the slow pace of construction works on a section of road which pass through Kitale town, had adversely affected their businesses, with many of them regretting incurred losses.
With traders operating from makeshift kiosks, majority of them accuse county government law enforcement officers of unnecessary harassment and disruption.
“The problem is not us but the contractor in charge of construction of the Kitale-Suam road. He has been extremely slow,” claimed one of the traders.
However, speaking to KNA, Engineer John Ndalo, a Consultant with Kenya National Highway Authority (KeNHA) absolved the contractor, China State Construction Engineering Company, from blame.
Engineer Ndalo instead clarified construction works at the cited section, which is about 2.5 kilometres, had been affected and in fact halted by compensation stalemate of Project Affected Persons (PAPs), an issue he said was being handled by National Lands Commission (NLC).
“The contractor is ready to continue and complete the remaining section of the Kitale-Suam highway. We are waiting a word from NLC since we can’t proceed with work until the affected persons are fully compensated,” said Ndalo.
The engineer disclosed it was only the 2.5km section remaining of the 45km highway which was funded by the African Development Bank (ADB) and national government to the tune of Sh.4.5 billion.
The project was officially launched on 10th April, 2021.
Speaking separately to KNA, NLC County Director Simon Chebii appealed for patience from residents as the commission addresses the compensation issues.
“It is true the Kenya National Highway Authority (KeNHA) has disbursed Sh.255 million to NLC towards compensation of PAPs. Out of this Sh.140 million was paid to some of them in December last year,” disclosed Chebii.
He, however, blamed lack of proper identification documents by some of affected persons as one of the major stumbling block derailing the compensation process.
“Some of the affected persons are unable to produce authentic identification documents, including national identity cards,” explained Chebii.
On Thursday afternoon, Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya instructed the law enforcers to stop harassing the traders and instead allow them to meanwhile conduct business from their makeshift kiosks.
Governor Natembeya issued the directive while on a tour of Kitale town.
Natembeya admitted the stagnated construction of the section of road had indeed affected commercial activities within the town.
“I am aware you have been inconvenienced by the ongoing road construction and subjected to harassment by county askaris. I therefore direct you be allowed to meanwhile carry on with your business activities peacefully,” the Governor told the traders.
He revealed plans by the devolved unit to expand market space within the town through installation of containers and rehabilitation of roads and pavements within the town’s central business district.
The Governor also toured the Kitale Bus Park where he called for sanity, accusing hooligans of taking control of the modern terminus.
“We are not going to allow hooligans; individuals who are not staff of any Matatu Sacco, to run the show at this bus park. We want sanity so that we can utilize this bus terminus for transport and business purposes and thereby boost revenue collection for the county,” said the County boss.
He was accompanied by County Secretary Truphosa Amere, CECMs Samson Ojwang (Public Service Management), Stanley Kirui (Trade) and Chief of Staff Dickson Wamocho.
By Maurice Aluda and Ivy Maccan
