Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) is targeting to raise Sh2 billion to facilitate the repair of roads which have been destroyed by the ongoing rains.
Chairman of KeNHA Engineer Wangai Ndirangu on Friday said so far the authority has utilized Sh500 million in doing repairs on greatly affected roads to ensure transport activities are not totally brought to a halt.
Speaking when he led a team of engineers to assess parts of NyokaNyoka road in Murang’a which was destroyed by rains, Ndirangu observed that they have deployed teams in several counties to assess the extent of destruction caused on highways by the rains.
He noted that KeNHA is working out to ensure transport resumes in areas where it was cut off after road sections were destroyed.
Many of the highways which were affected by the rains, he observed, are in Rift Valley and Western regions.
Two sections of nyokanyoka road which connects Murang’a and Nyeri counties were hit by landslides paralyzing transport along the route.
Photographs by Bernard Munyao
One section in Kariua in Kandara Sub County has huge cracks on the road prompting closure of the road while at Kanjama area, the road was cut off by a landslide.
Eng. Ndirangu said they will provide diversions to enable transport along the route continue as they embark on getting a permanent solution.
“The two sections, it seems, were affected by underground formations as huge cracks running for about five kilometres are visible at the two areas. Before doing repairs we need a multi-agency approach to come up with a permanent solution,” added the chairman.
At Kanjama area, this is the second time the section of the road has been hit by a landslide and KeNHA last year used Sh76 million to repair the destroyed part.
Residents of homesteads near the section of the road are living in fear after huge cracks cut across their farms.
Speaking during the same occasion, KeNHA Director General Engineer Peter Mundinia said in central region three roads, one each in Murang’a, Nyandarua and Meru counties were affected by the rains.
Mundinia said the road sections destroyed by the rains in central region will require a total of Sh300 million for repairs.
“Teams of engineers are on the ground doing repairs especially in central region and soon the roads will be rehabilitated and normal transport will resume,” added the Director.
Meanwhile Mundinia said the construction of MauMau road which links four counties has started and is expected to be completed in 2022.
Two contractors have been assigned to do the section in Kiambu County, another two contractors will work on Murang’a side and one contractor is to tarmac the linking road in Nyeri County.
The MauMau road with a length of 500 kilometres will be done to a tune of Sh30 billion and will connect, Nyeri, Murang’a, Kiambu and Nyandarua counties.
By Bernard Munyao
