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It's Agony for Drivers On 'Stretch of Horror'
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- Published on Monday, 02 July 2007 04:43
Mr Bernard Oduor of the Ahero Matatu Transporters Association says their business is not as profitable as in the past because the bad roads have increased the maintenance costs and the number of hours they spend on the road. "The stretch used to take us about 30 minutes. You would be lucky if you get through in one hour. By the time you are through, you would be counting the repairs you have make.
We visit the mechanics more regularly compared to when the roads were good," says Mr Oduor who has been driving on the road for seven years.According to the Nyanza provincial roads engineer Stephen Kogi, the problem starts at Mau Summit and the stretch needs an overhaul.Mr Kogi says although the potholes are being sealed, it is only a stop-gap measure.He reveals that the Government is expected to advertise a tender for the road's construction early next month.The wide potholes collect puddles of water during the rainy season and dust during hot weather.Tractors ferrying cane to factories also exert pressure on the road especially on the Awasi-Kericho stretch.
Shoddy recarpeting
Further, heavy trucks transporting cargo from the port of Mombasa to Kampala and other Great Lakes destinations, quickly wear out the shoddy recarpeting.Lately, instead of wasting time on what drivers on the route describe as the "stretch of horror," they make detour through Sondu to Bureti District and eventually Kericho.Due to the pathetic state of the road, many lives are lost and property destroyed on the stretch.Some of accidents are also attributed to poor visibility due to heavy dust cover from the rough terrains.
The narrow size of the road also makes manoeuvring, especially if cars are overtaking, a tedious exercise.The heavy rains which pounded the region towards the end of last year almost rendered Kisumu inaccessible. A bridge that connects the town to Kisii was swept away by floods.For close to three days, travellers approaching the town had to take long alternative routes.Public transport operators cashed in on the rush to go home for the New Year festivities to hike fares.Travellers to Kisii Town used to pay a maximum of Sh250, but those who completed the journey had to part with at least Sh900.
But even after the rains subsided, no efforts were made to improve the condition of the bridges especially.Pounce on motoristsOn the Awach River, culverts were destroyed while some were blocked.The waters have washed away most of the murram.The approaching rainy season heralds a sense of gloom and agony for travellers.Because cars move at a snail's pace on the dilapidated spots, gangsters pounce on unsuspecting motorists.Traffic policemen along the roads say an increasing number of matatus have been abandoning passengers before the bad stretch especially in the evenings to avoid the nightmare that has become of the stretch.Bad roads, especially along the major fish landing sites and between major trading centres have been cited as factors contributing to poverty in the region as farm produce and fish cannot reach markets.This leads to massive losses to fishermen and farmers.
The state of the road has scared away drivers, who said that the cost of maintaining their vehicles had shot up due to the numerous punctures they sustained.A bus driver, Mr Simon Gitau, who has has operated on the road for seven years, explains that before the road was spoilt three years ago, he took one and half hours from Kericho to Kisumu, but he now takes three hours."At times I am forced to buy new tyres for my car and I have no option," Mr Giatu says.
