Kisumu county roads maintenance teams are set to begin operations after Governor Anyang Nyong'o signed the Budget Appropriation Bill 2019-20.
Hundreds of residents will be recruited to maintain rural roads after the assembly approved their wages and, the purchase of equipment in the Sh11.7 billion budget.
At least Sh70 million had been proposed as wages for workers who will clear drainages, repair roads destroyed by rains, pave road shoulders and clear bushes on the roadsides.
Another Sh100 million is proposed for the purchase of equipment.
Nyong'o on Wednesday said youths will be among those engaged in roads maintenance works for decent pay.
“This is one of the key projects in my manifesto budgeted for this year whose implementation is set to begin with the passing of the budget,” he said.
In May, the governor approved the Rural Roads Maintenance Policy 2018 which establishes the village maintenance teams.
Nyong’o said the motive of establishing the teams was to make residents part of his service delivery, create employment and slash costs of maintaining roads.
He said dependence on hired contractors led to delays in routine maintenance due to lack of funds, uncoordinated road prioritisation processes or insufficient technical knowledge.
“This often leads to postponement of maintenance necessitating more costly rehabilitation," he said.
Project supervisors will be trained at the Kenya Institute of Highways and Building Technology to strengthen the quality of services, according to the policy.
They will be members of the governor's village councils whose formation is also expected to be operationalised this financial year.
The scope and scale of work to be done on sections marked for maintenance will be determined by the roads department who will oversee and supervise the programme.
Roads CEC Thomas Ondijo said the teams fell in the category of general labourers, they will be paid Sh653 per day in line with labour laws.
Supervisors from the department will appraise the scope of work in unique sections such as those with culverts.
The executive assured of vigilance from his department to make sure its objectives are not compromised.
Kisumu has a tertiary rural road network of about 2,500km, 956km of which are crucial trade link roads. Only half of the entire length is constructed to engineering standards.
Edited by R.Wamochie
