More than 500 farmers from Maella, Naivasha, yesterday planted bananas on the Kongoni-Maella-Narok road to protest against its poor state.
They accused the county government of Nakuru of neglecting the area, which produces a lot of food.
The roads are bad, water is scarce and their health centre is not working, they said.
Spokesperson Florence Wamaitha said produce was rotting in their farms as vehicles could not access the area.
Nothing has been done by the county since the new leadership came into power and promised to rehabilitate the road.
“We have plenty of food in this area but it’s rotting in our farms since we cannot transport it to the market or even have vehicles access this area,” she said.
She said their pleas have been ignored. “We are now asking for the intervention of the national government since our local leaders have failed to help us.”
Resident George Muchiri said a dispensary constructed by the previous county government has remained unutilised for years.
Muchiri said the county has not equipped the facility, forcing patients to travel to Naivasha about 60km away.
“When Governor Lee Kinyanjui visited this area, we were promised that the health centre would be equipped and health personnel sent but that has remained a mere promise,” he said.
Peter Kariuki said a borehole sunk in the area had not been functioning, leaving resdients reliant on contaminated water from dams.
A senior county officer who declined to be named said they had advertised for tenders for rehabilitation of roads including the one in Maella.
Edited by R.Wamochie
