Youth in Lugari have resolved to rehabilitate roads manually

As Lugari residents continue to complain of the poor state of roads in the area a group of youths from Munyuki in Lumakanda ward have volunteered to start rehabilitating the roads albeit manually.

Led by Richard Mudave and Peter Mathias the youths observed that despite their endless complains to the concerned offices and the area’s leadership no action has been taken leading to the sections of the roads in the area to remain totally impassable especially this rainy season.

They claimed boda boda operators have been forced to incur losses especially during this season necessitating the action.

They heaped blame on the County government of Kakamega and the local leaders for ignoring their plight adding that the County was scooping over Ksh 780 of the boda boda operator’s hard earned money per month adding that with over 2,000 motorcycles in the area enough revenue is raised capable of rehabilitating local roads.

“Every day every boda boda operator contributes 30 shillings to the County government for six days per week and with over 2,000 motorbikes operating within Lugari sub county alone that totals to over Kshs. 1.5 million every month, this is enough to rehabilitate our roads,” they said.

They regretted that despite the then Lugari county council acquiring a
grader using their tax, the automobile has never been of any value to area residents after it was taken to Kakamega by the county government two years ago.

”We thought that by purchasing a grader, our council had residents of Lugari in minds and that we would have all weather roads all over the sub county but this has never been so, instead, the grader was taken to Kakamega and our roads are now worse than they used to be before, the grader is being used to rehabilitate roads elsewhere while we the
residents of Lugari who greatly contributed to its purchase continues to suffer,” they lamented.

Mrs Salome Barasa regretted many accidents that have been occurring right at her gate and has offered to give the youth murram for free to put on the road.

“This week alone I have witnessed five accidents here at my gate and one that really touched me was when a woman with her one-month-old baby fell in this mud from a motorbike,” she said “My appeal to leaders is if they are unable to rehabilitate this road then let them give something small to this youth who have volunteered just to help them get lunch and soap,” said Mrs. Barasa.

Mr Peter Ipapo an opinion leader said he had tried to approach all those vying for various elective posts from the area to either help renovate the road or financially support the youths who have volunteered to rehabilitate it but they have ignored his appeal.

“I have approached all eighteen Member of County Assembly candidates from Lumakanda ward but only one, Leyla Muhandale, responded positively and gave something small to the youth but the rest have ignored even those vying for the parliamentary seat have all ignored,” said Ipapo.