By SILAH KOSKEI
Eldoret, Kenya: Residents of Moiben constituency in Uasin Gishu County have decried the rundown state of roads in the area.
Led by their MP Silas Tiren, the angry residents drawn from Tuiyoluk and Karandili complained of shoddy work by various contractors rehabilitating roads in the region.
Tiren said county and government officials overseeing the upgrades owe residents an explanation over the poor workmanship.
“The work is substandard and relevant authorities should re-evaluate it before paying the contractors,” he said.
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He added: “Apparently, it is farmers who depend on the feeder roads to transport their produce to the market who are bearing the brunt of the shoddy work. Most of them have suffered huge losses due to the current condition of the roads.”
The legislator said construction of the Chepkoilel Bridge that connects the residents to Eldoret main highway, especially, was unsatisfactory.
The MP called on the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission to investigate possible improprieties in handling of the road projects.
“The contractors should be investigated to end misuse of tax payers’ money and smoke out briefcase companies who are out to defraud the public,” he stated.
The residents vowed to block repairs of the roads until their grievances are addressed.
Meanwhile, Uasin Gishu County government in partnership with Arizona University College of Medicine in the US is set to build a paediatric children’s referral facility in North Rift.
Curb deaths
Speaking during the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the county and the institution, Uasin Gishu Governor Jackson Mandago said the facility is expected to help reduce the high infant mortality rate in the region.
He said the facility, which will have a bed capacity of 500, is expected to cost Sh5 billion.
“The partnership with Arizona comes at a time when there is a high number of children who require specialised treatment,” he said.
Prof David Beyda, who represented the university, challenged the county government to take advantage of the planned facility to train more pediatricians.
