The Economic Strength Of Bungoma Is In Feeder Roads, But…

Bungoma County doesn’t have expansive lands and advanced natural resources that would make it an economic powerhouse. In fact, it is just a county like any other for any visitor who cares.

Just like any other country with pathetic leadership, Bungoma County has had its own lion’s share of leaders who give no damn to the welfare of the people but their political interests.

With misplaced priorities, leaders of this county, for years, have not realized that the economic prowess of their county lies in their roads.

The county has enterprising small-scale farmers who work day and night to produce crops both for food and for sale. Most farmers in this county do dairy farming, do poultry farming, crop farming among others. But they are among the poorest.

The pandemic ailing this county lies in its feeder roads. This county has one of the worst feeder roads one will ever find on the continent. And their leaders don’t care.

Let us use an example of the Tongareni Constituency. There is a road that runs from Matunda to Misikhu (branches from the Eldoret-Kitale road). It is a major road but for years, it is hell on earth for motorists.

Leaders of both Bungoma and Kakamega County (which runs through 2 counties) lied to residents by placing patches of tarmac that only cover a maximum of about 20 kilometers.

The rest is like driving through a quarry or a world of small hills. Small cars often have an uphill task on this road. Anyone behind the wheel has to have the skill of dancing Salsa or Twist of Daudi Kabaka.

For a road that connects Bungoma County to the main road that goes all the way to Uganda, the current state is sickening, shameful and evidence of pathetic leadership.

If you love traveling and your car can withstand the hills and valleys on this road, take off at Matunda, to Brigadier, to Soysambu, to Kakamwe, Tongareni, Naitiri… Now at Naitiri, you can either take the Mbakalu route (the home of Mukhisa Kituyi, he wants to be President), or Ndivisi (the home of the current government Wycliffe Wangamati), or the Maliki – Sikhendu, the home of the area MP, terrible and pathetic.

A major form of transport in this county is by use of motorbikes (boda boda) because cars long broke down and removed from the road. The few who own them use them once in a blue moon. Which county can develop without roads? Roads are what keep people connected, opening up the markets among others.

Bungoma County deserves better.

(If you have any story about your county, please send it to us. We are doing a series called “Soko On The Road”, to tell the story of counties.)