By Bosire Boniface in Garissa
December 13, 2012
An 85-million shilling ($1 million) project to resurface and expand
roads in Garissa has helped business owners avoid flooding during the
November rainy season.
The project includes upgrades to Ngamia, Posta, Biashara and Guled
roads, which are crucial to linking various parts of the central
business district.
The work on the roads started in September and has been nearly completed with Posta Road upgrades scheduled to conclude by December 20th, according to officials.
Upgrades include the construction of culverts and drainage systems and the expansion of some roads, said Kenyan Minister of Roads Franklin Bett.
Bett told Sabahi that Ogle Construction Limited, the contractor, has also put covers over gutters to prevent people from falling in and to provide access to business premises along the roads. The ministry has been satisfied with the quality of work so far, he said, but asked the contractor to work faster to minimise inconvenience to the business community.
The government also plans to demolish illegal structures on land set aside for future road expansions, he said. "There are people who have grabbed road reserves and put up temporary and permanent structures," Bett said. "We have asked them to move, but if they fail to do so, we will demolish them for the expansion."
The high cost of building roads and a lack of materials and skilled labour previously hindered road development in North Eastern Province, Bett said.
"The cost of tarmacking a kilometre of road in the region is equivalent to tarmacking up to five kilometres in other parts of the country," he said.
Contractors undertaking maintenance work in the region are sometimes forced to source gravel from neighbouring Coast and Eastern Provinces, according to Bett. "These logistical challenges lead to inflated prices for building roads in the region," he said. "Nevertheless, the government is committed to ensuring that all roads in the region are tarmacked to open the region to economic development."
Mahamud Hassan Hakar, who owns a home goods store on Guled Road, said the rainy season used to cause flooding along the road, blocking customers and vehicles from accessing his store.
"The tarmacking of the 400-metre long street in November coincided with the rains in Garissa," he told Sabahi. "The road was constructed with wide drains on either side that now channel the water away downstream." Hakar said he no longer dreads the rainy season.
Ahmed Hajji Ismail, owner of Tawfiq Hotel on the same street, told Sabahi that before the upgrades, rainwater used to find its way into his building, keeping customers away.
"I am happy because there were heavy rains in the last week of November," he said. "Normally, I would have closed the business until the floods subsided, but this time I did not because there was no stagnant water." He said motorists were also able to drive without any problems.
Abdirahaman Nunow Arte, who owns a timbre yard along Posta Road, said construction has been an inconvenience along the narrow street because building materials are blocking entryways to businesses. His business was also flooded by heavy rains last month, he said.
Nonetheless, everyone has been looking forward to the end results, Arte said. "We are patient because we had been requesting the paving of the roads for a long time," he told Sabahi.
So far, the road has been expanded to a two-lane street, providing more adequate parking space for customers, Arte said. "We hope that when the construction works is over, the flooding will also be addressed because road workers witnessed our predicament," he said.
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![Passengers stuck on the Garissa-Ijara road on November 30th. The government is re-surfacing and upgrading Garissa's main roads to address flooding during the rainy seasons. [Bosire Boniface/Sabahi]](http://sabahionline.com/shared/images/2012/12/13/kenya-garissa-roads-340_227.jpg)
Passengers stuck on the Garissa-Ijara road on November 30th. The
government is re-surfacing and upgrading Garissa's main roads to address
flooding during the rainy seasons. [Bosire Boniface/Sabahi]
-
![A section of the completed Biashara Road shows drains covered by walkways to access stores along the street. [Bosire Boniface/Sabahi]](http://sabahionline.com/shared/images/2012/12/13/kenya-roads-garissa-340_227.jpg)
A section of the completed Biashara Road shows drains covered by
walkways to access stores along the street. [Bosire Boniface/Sabahi]
![Passengers stuck on the Garissa-Ijara road on November 30th. The government is re-surfacing and upgrading Garissa's main roads to address flooding during the rainy seasons. [Bosire Boniface/Sabahi]](http://sabahionline.com/shared/images/2012/12/13/kenya-garissa-roads.jpg)
![A section of the completed Biashara Road shows drains covered by walkways to access stores along the street. [Bosire Boniface/Sabahi]](http://sabahionline.com/shared/images/2012/12/13/kenya-roads-garissa.jpg)
The work on the roads started in September and has been nearly completed with Posta Road upgrades scheduled to conclude by December 20th, according to officials.
Upgrades include the construction of culverts and drainage systems and the expansion of some roads, said Kenyan Minister of Roads Franklin Bett.
Bett told Sabahi that Ogle Construction Limited, the contractor, has also put covers over gutters to prevent people from falling in and to provide access to business premises along the roads. The ministry has been satisfied with the quality of work so far, he said, but asked the contractor to work faster to minimise inconvenience to the business community.
The government also plans to demolish illegal structures on land set aside for future road expansions, he said. "There are people who have grabbed road reserves and put up temporary and permanent structures," Bett said. "We have asked them to move, but if they fail to do so, we will demolish them for the expansion."
The high cost of building roads and a lack of materials and skilled labour previously hindered road development in North Eastern Province, Bett said.
"The cost of tarmacking a kilometre of road in the region is equivalent to tarmacking up to five kilometres in other parts of the country," he said.
Contractors undertaking maintenance work in the region are sometimes forced to source gravel from neighbouring Coast and Eastern Provinces, according to Bett. "These logistical challenges lead to inflated prices for building roads in the region," he said. "Nevertheless, the government is committed to ensuring that all roads in the region are tarmacked to open the region to economic development."
November rains test new drainage system
Residents who own businesses along completed roads told Sabahi the new drainage system has successfully protected properties from flooding during the November rainy season.Mahamud Hassan Hakar, who owns a home goods store on Guled Road, said the rainy season used to cause flooding along the road, blocking customers and vehicles from accessing his store.
"The tarmacking of the 400-metre long street in November coincided with the rains in Garissa," he told Sabahi. "The road was constructed with wide drains on either side that now channel the water away downstream." Hakar said he no longer dreads the rainy season.
Ahmed Hajji Ismail, owner of Tawfiq Hotel on the same street, told Sabahi that before the upgrades, rainwater used to find its way into his building, keeping customers away.
"I am happy because there were heavy rains in the last week of November," he said. "Normally, I would have closed the business until the floods subsided, but this time I did not because there was no stagnant water." He said motorists were also able to drive without any problems.
Abdirahaman Nunow Arte, who owns a timbre yard along Posta Road, said construction has been an inconvenience along the narrow street because building materials are blocking entryways to businesses. His business was also flooded by heavy rains last month, he said.
Nonetheless, everyone has been looking forward to the end results, Arte said. "We are patient because we had been requesting the paving of the roads for a long time," he told Sabahi.
So far, the road has been expanded to a two-lane street, providing more adequate parking space for customers, Arte said. "We hope that when the construction works is over, the flooding will also be addressed because road workers witnessed our predicament," he said.
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