Slow progress has been recorded over construction works of a bridge that connects Sogoo area and Mulot trading center in Narok County.
In February this year, the government gave the contractor a three months’ notice to complete the stalled bridge or risk losing the tender. This is when a team of Principal Secretaries led by Industrialization Principal Secretary (PS), Dr Francis Owino, Public Service PS, Mary Kimonye and University Education and Research counterpart, Simon Nabukwesi, visited the area to inspect the construction of the 62 kilometer road.
The upgrading to bitumen standards and maintenance of the road is being done by Parbat Siyani Construction and elite earthmovers JV limited and funded by the Government of Kenya. However, outgoing south rift resident Engineer, Stephen Musindany, revealed that the contractor was stuck because of delayed payment that has crippled his work.
Challenges experienced
Led by a village elder, Cornelius Korir, residents in Mulot area have expressed outrage at the pace and gave an ultimatum of two weeks to the contractor on site to finish constructing the bridge along River Ng’asyat or quit the area.
They complained that despite the contractor starting the job over two years ago, he has not constructed the bridge, prompting the residents to trek for many kilometers looking for alternative routes to cross to the opposite side of the river.
“School going children are the most affected as they have to trek longer distances than they should. Sometimes they are lifted to the other side of the river by excavators constructing the road,” said Korir.
“For over ten years now, we have been crying for the construction of this road. When the contractor came on site two years ago, we were happy that things would go on well but to our shock, nothing meaningful has been done to make the bridge passable. Produce are rotting in farms, making farmers, especially those who deal with milk to incur huge losses because of the impassable road,” lamented Gilbert Chemor, one of the resident.
Taxi drivers have also complained of incurred losses, having been forced to use a longer route while transporting his customers from Mulot to Ilmotiok side and vice versa.
