Commuters stranded as Ahero-Kisii road is cut

Construction work goes on at the Ahero-Katito bridge. The collapsed bridge had cut off residents of Ayweyo from Ahero town. Most of them had been forced to use the Awasi route to reach Ahero. [Denish Ochieng, Standard]

The collapse of the Ahero-Katito bridge in Kisumu has made life an expensive affair for residents who use the bridge to access Ahero town.

The bridge collapsed last month following heavy rains. Residents of Ayweyo in Nyando who live right at the foot of the bridge on the Katito side, are the most affected.

Despite living about 10 kilometers from Ahero, which is their main town centre, a place they used to spend only Sh50 to access through public transport, they now have to travel about 60 kilometers through Awasi before they get to Ahero.

Residents who were interviewed, especially traders, said that the increased transport cost is making life unbearable. They all depend on the Ahero market.

This is on top of the low business they are experiencing as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

Mary Awiti is such a trader. “I sell vegetables in Ahero market. Before the bridge collapsed, I was paying Sh100 to go to Ahero and back. This is no longer the case,” said Ms Awiti.

The 40-year-old mother of five added that now she has to fork out Sh500 for a journey to Ahero and back.

The situation has pushed many of her colleagues out of business. “Many of us make little profit; the amounts range from Sh300 to Sh600 a day. The situation now means all your profit will go to paying for transport,” Awiti said.

Another resident, Daniel Omiro who runs a retail shop in Ayweyo, said the collapse of the bridge has almost ruined his business.

“I buy stock for my shop in Ahero. We have been using the bridge to get there but now after it collapsed, We have to use the long Awasi route,” said Mr Omiro. 

His sentiments were echoed by Emmanuel Bahati, a resident who does manual work in Ahero town.

Mr Bahati used to pay Sh100 to go to Ahero and back, where he earned Sh400 a day doing manual work. Since the bridge collapsed, he can no longer afford to go to work.

“There are a few bodaboda operators who have been using some shadowy routes to go past the collapsed bridge. But they charge very exorbitantly. Some of us cannot afford,” said Bahati.

When The Standard visited the collapsed bridge yesterday, workers who have been toiling on it were making the final repairs.

Harison Gakuo, the project’s resident engineer, said locals will have to wait for at least five days before using the bridge once the repair work is finished.

 “The new bridge is built using a slab. The slab has to dry well before it can be used,” said Mr Gakuo.