Turkana officials move to fix key road destroyed by flash floods

The Turkana county government is repairing a 58-kilometre road and two bridges in Turkana North Constituency after sections of the road was destroyed by flash floods recently.

According to acting Infrastructure Executive Philip Aemun, the road stretching from Kaikor Junction to Lowasa, was impassable and cut off towns near the Kenyan border with South Sudan and Ethiopia, including Kaikor, Lokitaung, Kakuma and Lodwar.

The flash floods destroyed two critical bridges by eroding their embankments as well as key sections of the road. This disrupted access to services and construction of key projects at the border including ECD centres, health facilities and water points, Mr Aemun said.

"The scope of work on the road includes 58km light grading, 3km gravelling at loose sections on the road and light bush clearing along the road.

" At the bridge, there will be extension of bridge cells to the river bank and river protection on both upstream and downstream using gabions," Mr Aemun explained.

He was accompanied by Infrastructure and Transport Chief Officer Rosemary Nchinyei who said that the road will also boost security response and patrols in the region.

She said the road is critical for transportation of relief food to affected locals at the border.