Residents irked with deplorable state of Machakos road, want it tarmacked

Mwala residents in Machakos county have decried the deplorable state of Wamunyu - Kalawa Road.

The residents said the road had been in a poor state for decades making transportation difficult and unaffordable.

They said the majority of those using the road trek for long distances since they couldn't afford the high transport costs charged by the few PSV vehicles and bodaboda operators.

The road that connects Machakos and Makueni counties falls under the national government functions.

The residents want Kenya National Highways Authority to tarmac the road to end their problems that result from its poor state.

They blamed the road's sorry state on local leaders and politicians who they claimed had turned the road into a political tool.

According to the residents, each electioneering year the politicians promise to tarmack the road if they are elected but disappear once they ascend to power.

80-year-old Christine Mutiso said local politicians had been using the same narrative since she was 11 years old without lobbying for the road to be tarmacked.

“The road has been in the same state since I was eleven years old, I’m now 80 years old, yet politicians still lie to us that it would be tarmacked,” the Yathui resident told the Star at Yathui market on Monday.

Mutiso said the road’s deplorable state had hindered credible development in Yathui, Kibauni and Kalawa towns all located along the Wamunyu Kalawa road.

Winfred Kithuke, a trader at the market said the road’s poor state has made it difficult for those in business to thrive.

Kithuke said transport costs had continued to rise making traders either run at losses or make minimal profits depriving their families of reasonable livelihoods.

“We suffer a lot due to high transportation costs that we incur while moving goods from wholesalers to the Kyathui market,” Kithuke said.

She trades in groceries at the market.

Kithuke said they mostly use bodabodas for transportation services.

“We can’t support our families as well as pay school fees for our children. We live miserable lives hence plead for the road to be tarmacked so that we can progress in business,” Kithuke said.

“I have been married in this area for 20 years now, we need the road tarmacked. Politicians keep promising that they will push for its tarmacking to no avail,” Kithuke said.

Sebastian Mutua, a boda boda operator said they charge Sh2,000 from Lapales junction along Machakos–Kitui road in Wamunyu, Machakos cunty to Kalawa town.

“We live from hand to mouth, we can’t save anything since much of the money we make ends up being used in fuel and repairs,” Mutua said.

Emmanuel Mutiso, another bodaboda operator said the road has lots of potholes and sharp stones damaging their motorcycles and vehicles.

“We face lots of challenges since the majority of travellers can’t afford the high costs. We accept their little pay since we don’t have alternatives because we need to fend for our families,” Mutiso said.

Mutiso said transportation costs would be reduced if the road is tarmacked.

“We urge the national government to tarmac the road, I was born and found it in the same deplorable state. Politicians and local leaders keep issuing promises they don't keep. They have always used the road as a campaign tool,” he said.

Alex Mutua, a matatu driver of a PSV sacco plying the route said the road has been in the same state for the last ten years.

He said they charge Sh800 from Wamunyu to Kalawa.

“Passengers keep complaining but there is nothing we can do,” Mutua said.

Dr Violet Mbiti said residents need to get to the road as early as 4.00 am to board the few PSV plying the route.

Mbiti said passengers are at times forced to alight from the vehicles and trek some distances for them to pass more deplorable parts of the road before they board again.

“Emergency services have equally been affected by the poor state of the road, residents can’t access healthcare in good time, children struggle to go to school with perishable food getting spoilt while in transit,” Mbiti said.