The government has allocated money for the construction of urban roads and refurbishment of Matulo airstrip in Bungoma town ahead of Madaraka Day celebrations on June 1.
Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen said the development was part of the construction of more than 600km of roads in the county.
“Some of the roads in Bungoma proposed for the Madaraka Day celebrations this year and have budgetary allocations are Matulo airstrip access road, Makutano-River Khalaba (White Rose) road, and Bungoma- River Khalaba (C811) road, which will be upgraded to bitumen standard,” he said.
The roads will be completed before the national celebrations that will be hosted by the county.
Murkomen said construction of the roads under the Kenya National Highway Authority, Kenya Rural Roads Authority and Kenya Urban Roads Authority is underway to open up the region and connect it with neighbouring counties.
The CS was in Bungoma on Wednesday for a consultative meeting on infrastructure. National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula, Bungoma Governor Kenneth Lusaka, local MPs and MCAs attended.
Murkomen said that KENHA was constructing 336.8km of roads including maintenance of Mayoni-Bungoma (Kanduyi) (B139) road, Kapsokwony-Kaptama (B13) road, Bungoma -Chwele (B142) road, Webuye -Kitale (A1) road and Namwela- Kamukuywa road.
“We are also reinstating the damaged Malakisi bridge and approach roads, the routine maintenance and spot improvement of Kapsokwony (Kaptama) JCT (A1Kitale) (B13) road, Kimaeti-Lwakhakha (B141) road, Mungatsi–Kimaeti (B141) and (Turbo) Junction A1 (Shikhendu) (B123) road,” he said.
Under Kura, 28km of urban roads are being built in Bungoma, Kimilili and Webuye towns. Another 30km of roads are planned for in the next financial year.
Kura is also upgrading 13.5km of roads in Bungoma under the annuity programme for Sh4.3 billion, including construction, routine and periodic maintenance.
The primary intention is to support growth sectors of commerce, tourism, agriculture, rural production and extractive industries.
“The scope of works includes upgrading of roads to bitumen standard, drainage works and construction of walkways,” Murkomen said.
He said while part of the road network connecting Lwakhakha had been under Kerra, going forward KeNHA will be the lead agency for the network to raise its standard.
“The Mungatsi–Kimaeti road (21.6km), which is the shortest route from Lwakhakha to the A8 main road, is currently of gravel standard and KeNHA has a contractor on the ground to maintain it,” the CS said.
Murkomen said there were plans to introduce passenger trains that would ferry travellers from Nairobi to Bungoma.
Currently, two cargo trains are operated daily between Naivasha and Malaba. They collect containers that have been delivered by SGR from Mombasa to Naivasha
“Kenya Railways has contracted for the replacement of steel railway sleepers with concrete railway sleepers and the contractor is mobilising to commence. The concrete sleepers are superior and more durable than steel sleepers of the standard gauge railway,” the CS said.
“The eventual extension of SGR from Naivasha to Kisumu and then Malaba, together with the other developments, will make Bungoma a major transport hub, which will boost businesses and create jobs.”
