Kisumu MCAs to decide on road jobs plan

 

Boda boda operators protest along Ahero- Ombeyi Road in Muhoroni constituency Kisumu County over the poor state of roads. (Collins Oduor, Standard)

The County Assembly will decide on a proposal by the county government seeking to cut on cost of maintaining roads through establishment of village teams.

The cabinet, led by Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o, yesterday passed the Kisumu County Rural Roads Maintenance Policy, 2018.

The document now moves to the assembly, where, if endorsed, it will see hundreds of villagers recruited to keep already constructed rural roads in good condition.

At least Sh70 million has been proposed as wages for the category of workers, whose mandate will include repairing roads destroyed by rains, clearing drainage systems, paving road shoulders and clearing bushes on either side of the roads. The money will be allocated in the next fiscal year.

Another Sh100 million was proposed for the purchase of equipment.

According to the policy, supervisors of the project will be trained at the Kenya Institute of Highways and Building Technology to strengthen the quality of services rendered.

A supervisor will be a member of Prof Nyong’o’s village councils, whose formation is also expected to take effect from July 1.

The roads department will oversight and supervise the programme. It will determine the scope and scale of work to be done on sections marked for maintenance.

Nyong’o said the motive of establishing the teams was to make residents part of his service delivery, create employment and slash cost of maintaining roads.

The policy document proposes the establishment of a rural roads maintenance special fund to be based on a percentage of total budget allocation for the department.

Cess from sugar factories and mining operations, it proposes, should be used to maintain roads in such heavy commercial belts.

General labourers

Roads Executive Thomas Ondijo said the teams fell in the category of general labourers and would be paid Sh653 per day in line with labour laws.

He said supervisors from the department would appraise the scope of work in unique sections such as those with culverts.

Kisumu has rural road network of about 2,500km.