CS Murkomen meets Wajir leaders over road network affected by El Nino rains

Roads and Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen on Monday met with lawmakers drawn from Wajir county over the issue of impassable roads in the area caused by floods.

They discussed how to improve the road network connecting Garissa to Wajir counties as promised by President William Ruto during the 2022 campaigns.

Members of Parliament present were Fatuma Abdi (Wajir), Adan Keynan (Eldas), Ibrahim Saney (Wajir North), Aden Mohamed (Wajir East), Farah Yussuf (Wajir West) and Barre Hussein (Tarbaj).

Murkomen in a statement said he will continue engaging with the leaders on impending road projects that the Kenya Kwanza Government promised in the region.

He assured the legislators that the government is committed to addressing the affected road network in North Eastern that has been rendered impassable by the El-Nino weather Phenomenon that wreaked havoc across the three counties of Garissa, Wajir and Mandera.

A section of the lawmakers who held a meeting with Roads and Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen in Nairobi on December 11, 2023. (Photo: Transport Ministry)

"Concerning the roads that El Nino has washed away, I told the leaders that the government will embark on restoration and maintenance after the rains," read part of Murkomen's statement.

The meeting which was also attended by Roads PS Engineer Joseph Mbugua and heads of various Roads agencies, comes at a critical moment as some roads continue to remain marooned by floods caused by the ongoing El Nino rains.

Northern Kenya has been experiencing poor road network and infrastructure since independence.

Promises by successive government to fix the road linking Garissa to Mandera counties has remained elusive and the infrastructure network remains unattended, posing a great disadvantage to the people of North Eastern.