Public involvement is key to development projects' success

 Eldoret,

Wednesday, 08 November 2023,

KNA by Kiptanui Cherono

 Uasin Gishu County's Department of Roads, Transport and Public Works makes it mandatory for the public to be meaningfully involved in all decisions touching on road infrastructure.

County Executive Committee Member, CECM Roads, Transport and Public Works Engineer Joseph Lagat said road infrastructure was a vital component in the county’s development agenda as it facilitates the smooth movement of goods and services.

“Considering that a large percentage of the residents of Uasin Gishu county rely on agriculture as the basic economic mainstay, good roads are the engine that enables them to move their produce and access markets,” said the CECM.

He added that besides focusing on the key conditions of quality, durability, and timeliness for the successful delivery of road projects under Governor Jonathan Bii-led administration his department was keen on public involvement in making key decisions on prioritization of key road projects that that will have immediate impact to benefit the community.

 “My team has been ensuring that residents of Uasin Gishu are heard and given a chance to actively participate in decisions on road projects that are aimed at impacting their needs, a move that has led to outstanding results in service delivery in the sector,” said Eng. Lagat.

 He added that Engineers, Inspectors, and Surveyors from the department have continued to directly engage residents on their view of ongoing and earmarked road projects during the current financial year.

 The broad objective of the county government, said the CECM, is to improve the mobility of people and goods to achieve sustainable development for posterity.

 Eng. Lagat spoke during an inspection exercise of the ongoing construction of Koisagat-Kapsabul bridge in Soy Sub County where he stressed that quality remains a key commitment by the government to ensure it's not just grading roads and constructing Bridges and Culverts, but guarantees contractors strictly deliver quality projects for posterity.

 Our deliberate decision to involve the community in our projects enabled us to successfully complete five bridges, and are right now undertaking another ten bridges this financial year, Said Eng. Lagat added that last financial year they graded over 800 kilometers of roads, graveled over 400 kilometers, and constructed 1900 kilometers of culverts.”

 "Generally, our roads are motorable and in good condition, we opened 76 kilometers of new roads that had never been used before," the CECM said, adding that they also target to gravel 600 kilometres of roads that are in bad shape.

 A resident of Segero-Barsombe ward, Joseph Kosgei praised the decision by the county government to meaningfully involve residents in decision-making on its development programmes.

 “I am optimistic that the bridge being constructed in our area whose decision we were fully involved will be crucial as a connection to sub-locations while at the same time facilitating easy movement of agricultural produce from farms to markets. The area is well known for tomato farming, especially along the Moiben River,” he said. 

He also lauded Governor Bii's administration saying it has made a significant transformation in the road infrastructure sector, ensuring both rural and urban population is served more effectively by promoting both farm and non-farm activities.

 The bridges recently completed include the Ketiplong -Bindura Box culvert in Tulwet-Chuiyat ward, Kesses Sub County, and the Koisagat-Kapsabul bridge in Segero/Barsombe ward, Turbo Sub County, among others while Cheplaskei-Kosachei Box Culvert in Tapsagoi Ward is among those ongoing.

Courtesy; KNA