West Pokot commuters stranded for third day as floods cut off region

Hundreds of travelers spent the night in the cold for the third day in Ortum area, West Pokot county, after heavy rains destroyed sections of the Kitale-Lodwar highway, the only road link in the region.

Heavy rains continue to cause havoc in the region that suffered destructions in November last year when floods and landslides led to the loss of more than 50 lives and displacement of more than 1,500.

The latest torrents swept away a temporary diversion road that had been created to facilitate passage as rehabilitation work goes on at the Ortum Bridge.

The destruction has cut off the region with traffic snarl-ups comprising heavy commercial trucks, Public Service Vehicles (PSV) and private cars stretching to over 5km.

Items being transported including food, household items and gas cylinders have remained immobile.

Traders who supply food and other perishables say they are counting losses running into millions of shillings.

Trader Wilson Chemjor from Ortum said they have been dealt a blow in business and that the national government should intervene.

Lucy Muthoni said she has incurred losses due to the inability to move perishable good fast.

Truck drivers who spent three days on the road say the government should repair the main bridge that was destroyed last year.

West Pokot Governor John Lonyangapuo who visited the area to help open up an alternative road accused the Kenya National Highway Authority (Kenha) for delaying to rehabilitate the bridge.

Lonyangapuo said President Uhuru Kenyatta last year ordered the Kenya Army and Kenha to put up a temporary bridge to ease transport.

“President Uhuru authorised fast rehabilitation of the road but so far nothing has been done. This is an emergency and it is sad to claim that tender processes had caused delays,” he said.

The governor said the bridge was supposed to be reconstructed during the dry season but heavy rains have set in again.