Kajiado West Residents Cut-off from Essential Services

Residents of Kajiado West Sub-county have been cut-off from accessing essential services from Kiserian town following the Presidential Directive banning movement in and out of Nairobi Metropolitan.
The locals complained that they cannot access banks, markets or hospitals after a road block was erected along the Magadi road at Delta Petrol station a few kilometers to Kiserian town.
Area Legislator, George Sunkuyia, said people residing in Magadi, Shompole, Lodaria, Saikeri, Corner-Baridi and Ewuaso-Kedong areas are unable to access banks as all the main banks are located in Kiserian town.
He added that the main hospital that serves residents of Kajiado West is also located at Kiserian town which has now been locked out from access.
Sunkuyia appealed to President Uhuru Kenyatta to consider the plight of his Constituents and order the road block to be moved further ahead past Kiserian town, adding that many locals would suffer as Kiserian town feeds the entire Sub-county.
“I fully support the President in his quest to keep our country safe from corona virus. Kiserian town had been cut-off from the rest of Kajiado West and yet it is the main town that has markets, banks and hospitals. I appeal to the President to consider the plight of the residents,” said Sunkuiya.
The MP further called on the residents to adhere to measures laid out by the Ministry of Health in a bid to reduce the rate of coronavirus infections in the country.
He noted that many developed countries including Italy, Spain, America, France and the United Kingdom among others had been greatly hit by the virus which has been declared a global pandemic and all Kenyans should support the Government’s efforts in curbing the spread of the virus.
Mercy Wanjeri, a resident of Corner-baridi said police officers at the road block were not allowing anyone to access Kiserian town even expectant mothers who were seeking medical services at the main Sub-county Hospital at the town.
Wanjeri said Kiserian is the main town in Kajiado West and all banks are located at the town thus all people residing along Magadi road would be unable to access banking services for the next 21 days.
“I live in Corner-baridi but I have to come to Kiserian when I want to go to the bank or hospital. Right now a road block had been erected at Delta, blocking us from entering Kiserian town, the road block should have been moved further ahead past the town to allow us access essential services, including the market,” said Wanjeri.
Martin Kilanya, a resident of Kisamis, says he has been forced to put up with a friend at Kiserian town after he was turned back from accessing Magadi road on Monday evening.
Kilanya said he had gone to Nairobi on Monday to pick supplies for his shop when the cessation of movement in and out of Nairobi directive was announced and that on his way back he found a road block erected at Magadi road forcing him to turn back.
“There was a bit of traffic on Monday evening as everyone rushed home to beat the curfew when I reached Magadi road, at Delta, there was a roadblock already erected and no vehicle was being allowed to pass through,” said Kilanya.
A spot check by KNA, Tuesday, at Magadi road, revealed that many motorists and boda boda operators still trying to cross the road blocks to access Kiserian town.
Many of the residents could be heard pleading with the police officers to allow them to pass through, citing various reasons but the officers did not budge insisting that they were following orders.
Some residents, however, managed to access the town through ‘panya ‘ routes, saying that they lived in Kiserian town and had been forced to sleep on the road as they had been caught up with the partial lockdown as they rushed home from work.
Kajiado County Commissioner, Joshua Nkanatha, however warned the residents to adhere to the Presidential Directive, adding that anyone caught trying to cross illegally to the Nairobi Metropolitan would be arrested and charged accordingly.
Nkanatha said roadblocks had been placed at Isinya, Ngong, Ongata Rongai and Kiserian and would be manned by police officers for the next 21 days to ensure that there is no entry or exit to Nairobi.
He urged residents to comply with the Directive which is meant to safeguard them from contracting Covid -19.
President Kenyatta, Monday, banned all movement by road, rail or air in and out of the Nairobi Metropolitan.
The designated Nairobi metropolitan area include : Nairobi City County; parts of Kiambu County up to Chania River Bridge, Thika, Rironi, Ndenderu, Kiambu Town; parts of Machakos County up to Athi River including Katani ; parts of Kajiado County including Kitengela, Kiserian, Ongata Rongai, and Ngong towns.
He said the move is aimed at combating the spread of the coronavirus to other parts of the country since 82 percent of Kenya’s reported cases have been recorded in Nairobi.
“The cessation of movement within the Nairobi Metropolitan area shall be for an initial containment period of 21 days with effect from 7pm on Monday April 6, 2020,” said President Kenyatta.
The President also banned movement in and out of Kilifi, Kwale and Mombasa, where an additional 14 percent of the country’s cases have been recorded.
However, movement of food supplies and other cargo will continue as normal during the declared containment period through road, railway and air.
By Rop Janet