Matatus threaten to withdraw services over poor state of roads in city

Motorists in Kisumu are up in arms against the county government over the poor state of roads. Matatu Owners Association coordinator Sam Ndiege complained that  the roads were often impassable when it rains and the flooding often causes a traffic snarl up.

"Whenever it rains, floods obscure numerous potholes on the roads posing a grave danger to road users," said Ndiege. He noted that motorists often spend a great deal of money to repair cars damaged by these roads.

He said the worst affected roads were: Oginga Odinga, Kakamega-Kondele-Angawa Streets, Obote, Kondele-Kibos, Obunga-Migosi, the lane from Standard Chartered Bank to Kisumu District Hospital and a dozen inter-estate roads.

Matatu operators have threatened to withdraw their services from Wednesday  if the county government does not repair these roads  by that time. -Kevin Ogutu and Harold Odhiambo