Turkana residents block road over bad state

Transport services along the Nantun – Turkwel road were paralyzed Wednesday morning after residents of Loima sub county in Turkana held demonstrations over the poor state of the road.

The over 2,000 residents of the remote villages of Naotin, Kodopa and Napeika accused the national and county governments of negligence saying that the area had been forgotten.

The irate villagers attacked revenue officers working at the Natoin cess collection point saying that their revenue was not being used to better their lives by improving infrastructure and other social amenities.

The demonstrators even attempted to attack motorists using the road forcing them to flee.

“Revenue officers have stationed themselves to tax the lorries which harvest sand and concrete here but the County Government has not given back to the community by improving the road yet they have been getting funds from taxing the lorries,” a fury resident said.

The road has huge sand deposits which make it hard for motorists to navigate through as they always get stuck.

Vincent Ekipor, a 23year old motorcyclist and a frequent user of the road, said that he got his leg amputated after suffering a serious injury following an accident that resulted from the bad state of the road.

Another unfortunate victim Jack Ekiru, 25, said that he suffered a major injury on his right hand after he was unable to control the motorcycle on the road thus falling badly.

Alice Akimat wants the county government compelled to construct the road which has been in such a state for over a decade.

Naotin sub location youth leader Abraham Ereng said that they will flush out the revenue officers and boycott any further tax payments and remittances until the road is repaired.