Finally, after years of empty promises, works on the busy Malava–Samitsi–Navakholo road have begun.

Residents could not hide their excitement and anxiety at the same time when they were called for a public participation to review the progress.

Addressing the Malava residents, the Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KeRRA) Regional Director, Kakamega County, Edwin Cheserek, said works had commenced on the road, urging residents to adhere to the KeRRA requirements.

The 22-kilometer road, which is costing Ksh1.6 billion, once completed, will ease transport considering that the road is a major one connecting Malava to Mumias and Bungoma.

The residents, however, were advised to uproot any trees and buildings erected within the 18 meters width of the KeRRA requirement. Cheserek, who is also the resident engineer of the project, cautioned wananchi against going against the government laws of road construction, warning that those who fail to heed the requirement risk facing the law.

He also told the people that there was no compensation for those who had either planted trees or constructed structures within the road reserve and that it was upon themselves to cut the trees and pull down the structures, failure to which KeRRA will charge them when they take up the initiative.

On compensation, Cheserek stated that it will only be done in a situation where the road diversion has passed through one’s land, where the land commission will be called to carry out valuation to facilitate compensation.

“Already surveyors are marking and pegging the width of the road and if you find yourself falling under the measurements kindly start moving to allow the works to continue and be completed in the stipulated time frame,” he urged.

He also cautioned the residents against blocking culverts diverting water and said the culverts will remain where they were to allow water diversion to protect the tarmac from water erosion.

“Stagnant water on the road is the root cause of road network corrosion and we will be opening those culverts to drive the water from the road, and in places where there’s much of it, we will do environmental management including stone bridging, gabions and tree planting to keep the road corridors clear. We are also engaging both the water and electricity engineers to come on board and move their pipes and poles to the 18 meters road corridor measurements as it is the right of way,” he assured.

He assured the residents that the contractor, Pinnie Agency, will consider offering jobs to them and will also purchase raw materials from them.

The locals were assured of employment to work on the road, with 30% slots as per the Constitution set aside for women and people living with disabilities (PLWDs).

The engineer further warned the residents to be careful as the road works construction will bring over new employees who will be residing among them and some could be having infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS while others could be home wreckers.

“As we embark on the tarmacking of this road, remember some employees will be outsourced and will be living within the construction sites, and it will be very sad to notice that by the end of constructing this road some of you may have lost their spouses and others could be infected with various ailments. So take care and do not engage in anything stupid without proper consultations and medical checkup. We do not want to be blamed for such shortcomings as our main core activity is to tarmac this road.”

The Malava Constituency KeRRA Chairman, Moses Kenyatta Wasike, urged the residents to rally behind the government now that huge projects which had stalled in Malava were on course.

He said the road was a major one that will lead to the transformation of Malava as it moves forward to attain its municipality status.

The National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF) Director, Naomi Shiyonga, supported the initiative, calling for 100% local employment.

She said the government was committed to bringing development to the people of Malava as one way of appreciating their support towards President William Ruto’s administration.

She said development was key and the connectivity of tarmac from Ikoli to Navakholo will open Malava to outside counties as transportation will be easy.

She called for the employment of the youth and women to take up the construction jobs and in return earn a living.

She asked the landowners to cooperate with the engineers to have the road constructed without stalling the project over road width issues.

“It is you our fathers who own land, and when the engineers come and measure to ascertain the needed contract width of the road, please stop unnecessary confrontations as the road will have many more advantages to ourselves than that one or two meters we want not extended.”

She said with much cooperation the engineers were ready to finish the works in the stated 18-month period.

Mama Signal, however, criticized some contractors who have been doing shoddy works and said the Malava–Samitsi–Navakholo road should be properly tarmacked as it is a busy one with vehicles and tractors from all the sugar factories and construction trucks transporting raw materials plying the road.

She wanted to know why the Ikoli–Malava tarmac had stalled despite starting on a high note.

According to the Pinnie Agency site engineer, Simon Kariuki Thuo, the 18-month project will be fully and professionally completed within the stipulated timeframe.

He assured the residents that they were up to the task and will do a commendable job. The engineer lauded the government for recognizing local contractors and awarding them a project of such magnitude.

“We are qualified contractors and we wish to ask the locals to follow our diversion directives, and we will be controlling dust on those diversions to avoid its pollution to homesteads and schools. We will also be running test compliance on every layer before we proceed to make sure it conforms with the contract terms,” he concluded.