The county government of Trans Nzoia has purchased roads machinery worth over Ksh. 500 million to be used in rehabilitating and constructing roads in the county.
Speaking after receiving three of the ten machines at the Kitale Posta grounds, governor Patrick Khaemba said that the move was aimed at improving on infrastructure across the county.
“Today I have come here to receive these three machines that are part of the many other machines that we have purchased to help the county government in dealing with the challenges of dilapidated roads in our county,” said the governor.
He said that the three including one grader, one drum roller and a shovel are among the ten graders and other machines that are yet be received before they are dispatched to start work in different sub-counties of Trans Nzoia.
Among the others that the governor said are to be received within a period of three weeks include; 9 graders, 5 drum rollers, 5 tipper lorries, 1 bulldozer, 2 back horses for digging drainage and terraces, 2 concrete mixers and 5 machines used to make culverts.
He said that some of the machines shall be distributed to sub-counties whereas others shall be used on rotation across the sub-counties.
Those that shall be distributed across the sub counties include graders whereby each sub county shall receive two graders, 1 drum roller for each of the five sub-counties and 1 machine for each sub-county to make culverts among others.
Those that are supposed to be shared include bulldozers, excavator and shovel among other machines.
Khaemba who was accompanied by his deputy Dr. Stanley Kenei said that the move was aimed at efficient and first response to rehabilitation and construction of roads across the county.
The governor said that under normal circumstances, government procurement procedures and bureaucracies tend to delay and therefore drag behind moves to act on roads that are destroyed daily by the heavy rains and therefore prompted his government to go for its own equipment that shall always be ready to swing into action whenever roads or bridges are broken.
However he promised contractors who have been relying on making roads in the county that they will be given other jobs in the county.
Deputy governor Dr. Kenei urged the residents of Trans Nzoia to give the county government time as it starts delivering projects in different aspects.
“We know you have been wondering why we have delayed in delivering services to you but i want to assure you that we have been in the kitchen cooking and you can now start seeing the fruits of our government,” he said.
Other leaders present included members of the county assembly David Kisaka of Kiminini and Francis Daddy Were who appreciated the governor’s move to purchase the machines saying that it will improve on infrastructure and transport network in the county.
Others who were present at the ceremony included county executive committee members for roads Wycliffe Kiiya and Ken Simiyu of finance among others.
