Kisauni residents protest poor roads

Hundreds of residents in Kisauni constituency on Tuesday demonstrated over poor state of roads and threatened to collect signatures to recall the area MP Rashid Benzimba.

The residents, including motorists plying the Kisauni-Bamburi route, demonstrated along the old Malindi road due to the road’s deplorable state. They marched from Anwarali stage to Bamburi, accusing the assembly and county government of hindering their development.

The demonstrators led by over 100 village elders said a section of the road had remained dilapidated for the last three years, making it impossible for residents to access essential services like treatment.

Mombasa and its environs are experiencing rains, a situation that has worsened the poor state of roads in the area.

“This road has been in this state for the last three years. Our mothers are delivering on the roadside and vehicles getting damaged. We don’t know why the contractor decided to abandon the construction,” said Fahad Abdallah, the owner of a haulage company in the area.

The Standard has, however, established that the said road is under the Kenya Rural Roads Authority (Kerra) and yesterday the agency promised to give report on its status.

Residents are also fearing an outbreak of waterborne diseases given the sewerage system along the road has also been damaged.

Discrimination

According to Sheikh Omar Twaha, the contractor who was rehabilitating the road moved from the site three years ago before its completion and asked the county and national government to explain to residents why the project stalled.

“We feel discriminated by the national and county governments on development. Some philanthropic businessmen that want to help have also been denied permission to do so,” said Mr Twaha.

The county government communication office said Twaha and Governor Hassan Joho were at a funeral and would not be able to answer our phone calls.

“Let the county government step in and rehabilitate the road or allow the private firms ready to assist do so,” said Omar Kajembe, a boda boda operator.