Chesikaki ward residents in Mt Elgon constituency in Bungoma county have urged Governor Kenneth Lusaka to move with speed and address the poor road network in the region.
The residents said that the dilapidated road network in Mt Elgon has affected business between Mt Elgon and the neighbouring constituencies, towns and Uganda on the western side.
Mt Elgon as a major producer of tomato, onion, maize, tea and coffee requires good road networks to ferry produce to the market.
Chesikaki ward residents have taken up the initiative to make furrows along the roads to direct rain water as the country prepares for El Niño rains.
They say that during heavy downpour the region experiences floods which endangers lives of various families.
During the campaigns Lusaka promised to upgrade the road network and improve the healthcare systems in Bungoma.
Speaking to the press on Monday at Kapkota, Chesikaki ward, Richard Yambi, a resident, blamed the county government for turning a deaf ear to the residents' plea.
He called on the area MCA Jacob Psero to liaise with the governor ensure the roads are upgraded.
Yambi said that poor road networks in the region have exposed business people from the region to hardship while ferrying their goods and farm produce to the market.
“It’s not that these people don’t know that we have poor road networks in Mt Elgon, let them come and tell us when they will improve them,” he said.
However, he said that the poor state of roads have forced residents to start making furrows along the area roads to direct water as the country prepares for El Niño season.
He said that Mt Elgon has been mentioned as a hotspot during the rains.
“In the past Mt Elgon has experienced landslides and heavy floods during heavy downpour, we have started making furrows along the roads to direct water where it should flow,” he said.
Yambi said accessing to quality healthcare in the region is a nightmare due to the poor state of roads.
“We have had sick people fail to reach the healthcare facility in time because of the poor state of the roads. That is why we are appealing to our elected leaders to address these problems once and for all,” he said.
He also said that it has been very hard for Chesikaki ward residents to transport farm inputs from the National Cereals and Produce Board store in the neighbouring Sirisia constituency to their places.
“We are very annoyed because since devolution this road has never been upgraded,” he said. “Mt Elgon should reap big from this Lusaka government because the deputy governor comes from this region.”
On his part, Chesikaki MCA Psero dismissed allegations that the county government has neglected upgrading the road network in his ward, noting that every project in the ward happens in line with the County Integrated Development Plan.
“Those who have taken an initiative of digging furrows along Kapkota- Nasala road are the youths that are sponsored by my rivals, every project has its timelines and budget,” he said.
Psero said that residents were given an opportunity during the public participation to suggest the projects that would be given a priority and completed within a specified period of time.
