New road technology spurs development in Kisumu

Construction workers use the new road construction technology -  cobblestone - to build a road in Kisumu. Kisumu County Government and the Kisumu Urban Project (KUP) have adopted a new road construction technology that is opening up infrastructural development in informal settlements. (PHOTO: KEVIN OGUTU/ STANDARD)

For decades, Kisumu County has had one of the worstroad networks, making it difficult for products to reach markets in time. However, devolution is returning hope, especially onroads linking the lakeside city to informal settlements.

The county government says it has upgraded roads to cover about 700 kilometres. The exercise has seen feeder roads linking the county to major towns rehabilitated, with new roads constructed in all the seven sub-counties.

The expanded road networks have helped spur rapid business growth; but what has captured the interest of many city dwellers is the new technique called cobblestone technology that is changing the face of roads within Nyalenda informal settlement. The project aims to alleviate poverty by addressing escalating unemployment among women and youth who are hired to upgrade the roads.

Doreen Adhiambo, one of the young women employed in the project, says investment on the road has begun to spur growth and diversity of small enterprises in Nyalenda, enhancing capacity at grass root level.

The project’s official, Eng Malika Ibrahim says: “This is a low cost technology for infrastructural development that has been in use in other countries for many years”.

Apart from transferring technology to the youth and women employed in the project, acting Kisumu City Manager Lydia Orlale observes that the project is significantly “activating the local economy as most resources used are sourced locally and improved on site.”

Area youth leader Joseph Midenyo says “the participation of local communities in the delivery of works through utilisation and capacity building of local labour and know-how, has entrenched the ownership and appreciation of the road among the local community.” “The initial resistance of the project by some residents who feared losing their houses that were built on roadreserves has been replaced with appreciation among residents as benefits of the road become apparent,” he said.

According to Kisumu Governor Jack Ranguma, the successful implementation of the technology on the road will demonstrate the employment and poverty reduction potential of his Government.

“We are implementing the recently enacted Kisumu Integrated Strategic Urban Development Plan (ISUD-Plan). The situation in Nyalenda is just a tip in the iceberg,” said Mr Ranguma. Apart from using the cobblestone technology, the county government has already tarmacked to bitumen standards about 15 kilometres of roads in Migosi and Lolwe estates, which are major entry points to the city.