The ongoing heavy rainfall has cut off roads in Mandera making them completely impassable by passenger bus companies plying the Mandera- Nairobi route.
The Mandera Bus Company Chairperson, Mohamed Bardad said the worst hit areas were Mandera West, Kuttullo and Banisa.
Bardad who spoke to journalists on Monday said the dry weather murram roads have been washed away by flash floods.
He disclosed that in Kuttullo, the buses could not cross as the floods have formed an artificial ‘lake’ on a section of the road.
“To cross the road, you need Sh.500 to pay raft operators to connect to the other side of Wajir to proceed with the journey to Nairobi,” said Bardad.
The Mandera Governor, Ali Roba said the county was still assessing the impact of the floods and called on development partners and the national government to chip in in mitigating the effects of the floods.
Roba who spoke during the Mashujaa day celebrations said area residents have lost an unconfirmed number of livestock and crops worth thousands of shillings washed away along River Daua which has broken its banks.
A resident, Joseph Njoroge, called on the government to help solve the transport crisis, adding that he had planned to visit his rural home in Murang’a but has shelved his plans until the rains subsides.
Local air travel is Sh.22, 000 in return flight to Nairobi something many residents could not afford.
The roads have been cut off barely two weeks before schools close for the December holidays, with many non-local teachers expected to travel to Nairobi.
By Dickson Githaiga
