Kenya: Tarmac road to be built in Lodwar

Posted on : Friday , 14th November 2014

Work on a six-kilometre tarmac road in Lodwar has begun and is expected to be completed in the next nine months.

This is an extension of a 3.2 kilometre tarmac road handed over to the county government by the Kenya Urban Roads Authority (Kura) Managing Director Joseph Nkadayo in July. The road, which traverses the town, was completed at a cost of Sh168 million.

County Roads chief officer Emmanuel Ekai said in an interview that the six-kilometre stretch includes a road off Kitale-Lodwar highway, heading towards the county headquarters and another one going to Napetet trading centre past Lodwar High School.

“I call on street traders whose temporary business shelters are along this stretch to relocate and give the contractor ample time for the work to be completed as scheduled,” said Mr Ekai.

He said Kura engineers would supervise the construction that will be done by Frontiers Engineering Limited Company.

The county is using its own Sh70 million road construction equipment that include a grader and two tippers to lower the costs.

The county government has also tendered for the gravelling of two Class D roads (Makutano-Lokitaung and Lokori- to Kapedo) that was allocated Sh100 million this financial year and work is expected to start soon.

At the same time, motorists are now assured of a smooth drive along the Lodwar- Lokichar highway after the Kenya National Highways Authority and Tullow Oil gravelled the section.

Public service vehicles have started operating between Lodwar and Lokichar and are charging Sh300, down from Sh500 previously charged by buses.

The  gravelled highway is awaiting transportation of a rig to Lowarengak in Turkana North Sub County for oil exploration.