State to spend Sh45 million on roads
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By Joel Okwayo and Joseph Masha The Government will spend more than Sh45 million to rehabilitate rural roads in Western Province. Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KRRA) chairman Protas Murunga and Director General Mwangi Maingi said the Government would spend Sh5 million in each of five constituencies identified. These are Malava, Lugari, Butere, Khwisero, Matungu and Mumias. "We will use Constituency Tender Committee to identify the contractors to undertake the rehabilitation. We want qualified contractors," said Mr Maingi. He said the selection of the constituencies was based on an assessment of roads done by Ministry of Roads officials. The officials were speaking in Kakamega during a tour of the rural roads in the province. They warned that the board would not allow road reserves to be invaded by local authorities and communities for commercial activities. "Buildings on road reserves are not safe. The board will start tracing road maps with a view of clearing structures on road reserves," said Maingi. He said boundaries on roads should be respected. Political boundaries Maingi also said the Government was sourcing for funds to tarmac Sigalagala-Butere-Sidindi Road. He explained that plans to tarmac the road have been in the pipeline for the last 15 years. "We are looking for partners and hope the road will be given priority in the next financial year," said Maingi. Elsewhere, leaders in Chonyi claim the Government was planning to carve part of their land in Bahari to add to the newly created Ganze District. Led by Bishop Ronald Nzai of Methodist Church in Kilifi, they said the Government intends to interfere with the administrative and political boundaries between the two districts. This was after the Ministry of Education gave five primary schools in Bahari KCPE examination codes for Ganze District. However, Bahari District Education Officer Dickson ole Keis said the codes had nothing to do with boundaries. Bahari MP Benedict Fondo Gunda, however, vowed never to allow part of his constituency land to be added to Ganze. "The boundaries are marked in the Government survey maps and it is wrong for some people to interfere," said Mr Gunda.