MARSABIT — Residents of Manyatta Ginda, on the outskirts of Marsabit town, have resorted to rehabilitate their own roads, citing poor infrastructure and what they termed as government inaction.
Armed with jembes, pangas, shovels and wheelbarrows, the residents on Tuesday, August 18, worked to clear and patch damaged sections of the roads.
“We are tired of waiting for authorities to act,” they said.
The residents faulted the Marsabit County Government’s Roads Department and the Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KeRRA), saying complaints on the poor state of roads have gone unanswered.
They said the bad roads are affecting transport and daily activities, with some areas becoming increasingly inaccessible.
The community said the voluntary exercise was meant to highlight the severity of the problem and push the government for urgent intervention.
“Citizens should not be forced to use their own labor and resources to do government work,” one resident said.
Residents warned the situation will worsen during heavy rains and called for immediate repairs to prevent further damage.
They urged the county government to use disaster or emergency funds to repair roads ahead of expected El Niño rains.
They also warned that it would be difficult for Marsabit residents to re-elect current leaders in the next general election.
Saku parliamentary aspirant Abdikadir Doyo, alias Ebisa, who joined residents in the repairs, called on KeRRA and the County Roads Department to act swiftly.
The aspirant accused current elected leaders in Marsabit of failing residents and said their poor performance had undermined the image of President William Ruto’s administration in the county.
He called for action against officials he accused of failing to deliver on their responsibilities.
“Current leaders have given President William Ruto’s government a bad name through poor performance,” he said.
He said the poor state of roads is already hurting residents, traders and transporters, with some areas becoming impassable during rains.
Ebisa urged the national and county governments to collaborate and put infrastructure measures in place before the rainy season to reduce damage.
He challenged Saku youth to know their rights and elect accountable leaders in next year’s general election.
