Ngugi wa Thiong’o talks of the sleeping lions of Kameno and Makuyu ridges in his acclaimed novel the ‘River Between.’
It is beyond any reasonable doubt that Bungoma County has numerous enormous sleeping lions that if awakened, then the full potential of this diverse county will rocket and scale the heights of richness and honor in terms of developments.
Bungoma airstrip is one of the sleeping lions that have been in a slumber for decades and it is high time someone in the political class realized this and wakes him up to benefit the people of Bungoma and Kenya as a whole.
The airstrip covers a vast area of land, ruled with countless rodents and massive bushes with no any single profitable activity that goes on.
The once smooth tarmacked runway is now in a dilapidated condition and on the verge of moving towards a state of no repair.
The only time that the airstrip perhaps jumps into life is during national elections campaign trail when there is little spaces in other places for the hovering helicopters of the ‘waheshimiwas’ to be able to land. In other words, a plane is only likely to land into this airstrip after a period of five years and that is only if one cares to hold a political rally in it.
“Land is a very scarce resource in this country and when such a vast piece of land lies unutilized then it means that our priorities are misplaced.” Said Mr. Charles Okisai, a resident in Bungoma town
The truth is that there are very many people who are without land in this country and here lies a land that is only inhabited by the bushes. It is a fact that if this vast piece of land can be put in other good use, not necessarily an airstrip either under the county government of Bungoma or under the national government, then it may help immensely in lifting the economy of this country.
“Let them put this land in use or else, as it is now the trend, land grabbers are on their way coming for it.” Said Mr. Okisai
If this airstrip can be revived, then it will come with some economic advantages to the inhabitants of the County and those beyond.
Bungoma County is generally an agricultural County and farmers have for long shunned the idea of engaging in horticultural farming due to lack of transport, that is, air transport, that is often the convenient mode of transporting such goods to other markets.
The land can also be turned into other economic purposes like building of commercial houses or residential houses and then renting them out and generate revenue for the government.
Currently the County Government of Bungoma has no power over the piece of land because it is still under the Kenya Airports Authority.
Article by Juma Fred.