Bridge Stalls As Merigi Residents Fear Flooding

Residents of Merigi Ward in Bomet East have raised concerns over a bridge project which they said has stalled despite having been fully funded by the County Government of Bomet.The Chepkositonik Bridge, connecting Merigi and Masese region, is said to have been allocated over Sh. 3 million two years ago but have remained incomplete to date.Led by former area Member of County Assembly Zaddock Kilel, the residents said farmers as well as school children put their lives at risk while crossing the seasonal river on foot.Kilel accused County officials, particularly the roads department, of laxity, terming the stalled project as amounting to corruption.He said the tendency of contractors to do shoddy or incomplete projects has been witnessed for a long time and that it was time the trend stopped.This comes as the Director for the Meteorological department in Bomet Constance Okuku warns of heavy rains termed Elnino beginning from October to December.Okuku said the rains were likely to cause flooding while calling
on the County Government and other stakeholders including the Red Cross Society of Kenya, Community-based organizations, and religious organizations to advise residents in flood-prone areas to beware of looming dangers due to expected flooding.He said in case of flooding, health risks might be witnessed saying drainage channels and sewer pipes as well as latrines should be cleared in preparation for the potential disaster.While saying Bomet is expected to receive over 400 millimeters of rain in the stated period, the weatherman advised farmers to take advantage by growing short-season crops while taking precautions to avoid soil erosion.

Source: Kenya News Agency