Residents and business operators in Migori County have issued a strict ultimatum to both the county and national governments over what they term as deep rooted negligence regarding the main bridge connecting Suna East and Suna West constituencies.

The vital transport link, which also serves as a crucial transit route for goods heading into neighboring Tanzania, was swept away by heavy floods over four months ago.

Since then, economic activities have ground to a halt, leaving local transport operators,business owners and commuters stranded.

Local transport workers and residents have expressed intense frustration with area politicians, accusing them of detachment from the realities on the ground.
“The leaders who are supposed to be helping us are just running around for their own political gain,” said a local resident.

“When they come here, they use helicopters because they don’t care about the common citizen. We in the transport sector are suffering immensely.”

Fredrick Okina a worker in Migori town (popularly known as Spark), echoed these sentiments highlighting that the prolonged delay has completely deteriorated local enterprises.

“We have been seeing leaders coming here on choppers. They don’t even use the four wheel drives they used to use. As the common mwananchi, we are really suffering,” Okina stated.

The floodwaters here have gone down. Why is the government still playing mind games with us? There will come a time when we will stop requesting and start demanding

Consequences and safety hazards

The breakdown of the infrastructure has not only crippled businesses but has now turned fatal.

Residents reported a tragic accident where a young motorcycle (boda boda) operator, identified as Eric Omondi, lost his life due to severe head injuries sustained during a massive traffic gridlock near the broken crossing.

“If there was a proper route, Eric Omondi would not have lost his life today,” lamented Oduor John, a Migori resident.

The transport crisis has also placed a heavy burden on school going children, forcing local schools to make emergency schedule adjustments. Parents are growing increasingly anxious about the safety of students who must navigate long hazardous alternative routes just to cross from one side of the town to the other.

Furthermore,Oduor lamented that the alternative bypass currently in use has deteriorated into a field of deep potholes, unable to withstand the weight of heavy cargo trucks. Residents fear that if the bypass completely collapses, Migori will be entirely cut off.

Frustrated locals have directed their pleas specifically to the Cabinet Secretary for National Treasury and Economic Planning, John Mbadi, who hails from the region.
Rashed Ouma, the Chairman of the Bunge la Mwananchi (Suna West), urged local Members of Parliament from Suna East and Suna West to put aside petty political divisions and work together during this crisis.

He noted that even after President William Ruto’s visit to Migori County, no concrete action has materialized on the ground.

“The President told CS Mbadi and CS Wandayi to use their brains to solve development challenges in Nyanza region and since that day, no minister has set foot here,” Ouma stated.

“We want the government to ensure that when they budget for this project, the funds cover both the bridge and the bypass because Migori relies heavily on this single network.”

Issuing a final warning on behalf of the aggravated community, Ouma declared that residents will call for a massive demonstration very soon if emergency reconstruction efforts on the bridge do not begin immediately.

Local representatives noted that public patience has been entirely exhausted.

The community is now calling on the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) and the local county government to at the very least, erect clear directional signal for motorists,matatu operators and business persons as they await the Treasury to release funds to fix the vital crossing.