Residents demand State intervention in collapsed bridge
Residents of two villages at the frontier of Kiambu and Murang’a counties are now pleading to the government to intervene and help them reconstruct a collapsed bridge that is on the verge of becoming a death trap.
Inhabitants of Iyembeni and Ngoliba villages in Gatanga and Thika Town constituencies decried claim that their only means of crossing from one ridge to the other had collapsed and blocked their mobility.
They said that they have been exercising a delicate balance crossing flooded river Chania, a situation that has also crippled movement of their farm produce to various markets.
Led by Wambua Kaviatu, a villager, the residents noted that rainy season livelihoods as they also fear being marauded by deadly crocodiles while trying to cross the huge river.
Worst hit, Wambui said, are learners who risk their lives every morning to school as they use boats to cross the deep river that is heavily infested with hippos.
“It’s been a great concern and we have tried to reach out to leaders for a solution but our efforts are yet to bear fruits.”
Also of concern to the locals is the proximity between the crossing point and a waterfall which makes the flow of the water so rapid posing danger to the kids.
Residents said that situation has hampered their economic development due to incapacitated movements thereby rendering many people such as bodaboda operators jobless.
But while inspecting development projects in the area, MPs Patrick Wainaina and Joseph Nduati vowed to offer a permanent solution to the challenge expressing concern over low economic development occasioned by the situation.
The MPs said the bridge was swept by raging waters as it was semi-permanent but the government was doing everything possible to contain the situation.
Wainaina said the national government engineers under Kenya Rural Roads Authority were in the process of assessing the situation and will soon dive into action. “
We want to build a permanent crossing bridge that will also be used by lorries that ferry items between the two constituencies.
