Vihiga to get 11 key roads tarmacked
Vihiga Governor Wilber Ottichilo (in the middle). The county is set for a facelift that will see some 11 key roads upgraded.
The road network in Vihiga municipality, which is undergoing a Sh2.5 billion upgrade under a World Bank urban improvement programme, will have 11 key roads tarmacked.
The Kenya Urban Roads Authority (Kura) plan includes two roads leading to the official residences of the governor and his deputy.
The roads, with up to 20.5km expected to be built, will be upgraded to bitumen standard.
The two official residences are still under construction, and the Vihiga administration said the roads will connect five key towns under the Vihiga municipality.
The towns are Mbale (the county headquarters), Majengo, Gisambai, Mudete and Chavakali.
The office of Governor Wilber Ottichilo said 10 of the 11 roads were earmarked for upgrading to bitumen status, while one already tarmacked by the World Bank will be spruced up.
The announcement follows a meeting between the governor and Kura officials in Mbale late last week.
Officials from Kura’s Western region office included engineers Kelvin Were and Julius Chesenek, Mr Raphael Kangeri and Mr John Kiilu.
The briefing
The statement from Dr Ottichilo's office yesterday said: "Eng Were briefed the governor on the roads that will be maintained and those that are proposed for upgrading to bitumen standard by Kura."
The 3.1km Kegoye Ring Road-Kegoye Primary-Endeli road will be tarmacked to provide an alternative route to the governor’s official residence.
The governor's residence is being constructed in Endeli village, on the outskirts of Mbale.
The World Bank had funded the tarmacking of the 2.8km Mbale-Endeli-Munoywa road for Sh50 million.
But the road will be rehabilitated by Kura.
The work includes stone pitching, installation of access culverts, construction of scour checks and installation of rumble strips and speed bumps.
Also in the upgrade plan is the two-kilometre Mbale market stalls-Endeli Junction road that Dr Ottichilo's administration says will help improve access to Mbale.
The 4.3km Chavakali-Solongo-Ivona-Kegondi-Chandumba, which leads to the deputy governor's official residence in Solongo, will also be tarmacked.
Also on the list is the one-kilometre Mbale Prison-National Housing Corporation (NHC)-Shell Petrol Station road.
The road, when tarmacked, is expected to improve access to the prison, NHC estate, and Administrative Police quarters. It will also provide alternative access to the living quarters for the county referral hospital living.
The plan also includes the road network to the Kidundu stadium, with the two-kilometre Majengo-Magai-Kidundu and the 5.5km Vihiga Police Station-Mbihi roads also on the list of the roads to be tarmacked to improve access to the stadium and Majengo.
The other roads to be upgraded to bitumen status are Mbale Equity Bank-Mukuli-Kesee (1.4km), Manyatta-Chambiti School Ring Road-Stage Maziwa (two kilometres), Chavakali-Lusiola (2.5km) and Mudete Market-Vohovole Primary School (0.7km).
