- The residents say the road is impassable, disrupting transport and undermining social and economic activities.
Residents of North Kamagambo in Rongo Sub-County, Migori County, have begun repairing sections of the road linking Rongo town to Miyare after raising concerns over its deteriorating condition and what they describe as the government's failure to address their grievances.
The residents say the road has become nearly impassable, disrupting transport and undermining social and economic activities in the area.
Led by resident Girphas Okoth, the locals said they had resorted to carrying out repairs on sections of the road after repeated appeals to the government yielded no response.
Okoth called on the relevant authorities to intervene and improve the road by applying murram to make it accessible, particularly during periods when movement becomes difficult.
He said the poor state of the road had affected the daily lives of residents, including those who depend on it to transport goods, access essential services and travel to neighbouring areas.
“We have been forced to start repairing parts of the road ourselves because the government has not responded to our concerns,” the residents said, urging authorities to prioritise the route.
Their concerns were echoed by Mariko Ouma, who said school-going children were among those bearing the brunt of the deteriorating road conditions.
Ouma noted that learners travelling between Rongo and Miyare were struggling to get to school, raising concerns about the impact of the poor infrastructure on education and daily attendance.
The residents accused the government of remaining silent despite their efforts to seek assistance, saying the situation had continued to cause hardship for families and other road users.
They warned that they would continue undertaking repairs using their own efforts if the authorities failed to intervene.
The residents also expressed frustration over what they described as a recurring pattern in which the road is highlighted during election campaigns, only for its condition to remain unresolved afterwards.
They called on the government to move beyond campaign promises and provide a lasting solution to the road's poor state.
The residents are now appealing to the relevant government agencies to assess the road and undertake proper repairs, saying improved access would ease movement, support local businesses and enable schoolchildren to travel more safely and conveniently.
There was no immediate response from the relevant authorities regarding the residents' concerns.