Buna residents in Wajir decry poor transport infrastructure
They said the recent rains and floods from Ethiopia flowing into the seasonal rivers created gullies and widening channels along the road, resulting in several road accidents.
Residents of Buna town in Wajir North decry over damaged Buna-Wajir road that also links them to neighbouring Ethiopia and Somalia.
They said the recent rains and floods from Ethiopia flowing into the seasonal rivers created gullies and widening channels along the road, resulting in several road accidents, disruption of transport and isolation.
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Community elders and women representatives who spoke on behalf of the residents appealed to the national government to tarmack the road and establish a bridge at a major point frequently washed out by the rain waters.
Ahmed Ibrahim, a community elder, stated that frequent maintenance of the murram road is not a long-term fix and construction of a durable road should be explored.
"The road serves as the only lifeline to thousands of residents, it links us to Wajir town, Moyale town, Ethiopia and Somalia. Frequent grading and material replacement due to erosion and wear is ineffective," he lamented.
Ahmed Ibrahim, a community elder, speaks to the media on the poor state of the Buna-Wajir road. (Photo: Issa Hussein)
He said residents of Buna town and its surroundings almost starve to death during the rainy seasons, since they are completely locked out and the transport system is paralysed due to the nature of the road.
Ibrahim Holufu recounted in November 2023 that a Kenya Defence Force helicopter crashed in Buna town while delivering food supplies to the flood-affected residents who were completely cut off due to the nature of the road.
He said that within this year, seven road accidents occurred near Buna town, where a section of the road collapsed due to the March-May long rains and rainwater flowing from Ethiopian highlands through the seasonal river.
"Even when it's not raining here, we still experience floods due to heavy rains in neighbouring Ethiopia, leading to potholes, cracks and even collapse of the sections of the road," he decried.
Ibrahim appealed to the national government to consider investing in the road in line with its efforts to open up northern Kenya to neighbouring countries to foster economic development and regional integration.
A section of the damaged Buna-Wajir road that also links residents to neighbouring Ethiopia and Somalia. (Photo: Issa Hussein)
Abdirahman Hussein urged the government to classify the road as an international road and improve its condition.
"Since my childhood, the government have been pumping a lot of funds into this road by grading, putting drifts and culverts that were washed away every rainy season," he stated.
Quresha Abdirahman, a woman leader, also voiced her concern on the poor condition of the road that she says frequently disrupts their livelihoods and mothers' access to markets selling milk, which is their main source of income.
"Ambulances hardly access this town to rescue labouring mothers who need to access healthcare services. The supply chain is disrupted, resulting in economic hardship. We need the government to hear our plea," she appealed.
She highlighted how the elected leaders have been raising concerns in parliament on the condition of roads, but ended up with frequent murram road maintenance with less durability.
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