Leaders, residents in Garissa raise concerns over quality of construction work on Kismayu Rd

SUPKEM National Organizing Secretary Abdullahi Salat speaking to the press. /STEPHEN ASTARIKO

Baraki MCA Hassan Geley speaking to the press./STEPHEN ASTARIKO

Residents of Garissa wading through floods waters along Kismayu road. /STEPHEN ASTARIKO

Residents of Garissa wading through floods waters along Kismayu road. /STEPHEN ASTARIKO

Leaders and residents in Garissa have raised serious concerns over the quality of construction work on Kismayu Road, calling for urgent intervention and accountability.

Speaking separately, the leaders urged Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir to step in and compel the contractor to redo the road to acceptable standards.

Their concerns come in the wake of heavy rains that pounded the town late last week, leading to widespread flooding, destruction of property, and major disruptions to daily life.

Traders and residents were left counting heavy losses after two days of intense rainfall flooded several parts of Garissa town, paralysing businesses, transport, and other economic activities.

Among the most affected areas was Kismayu Road, which remained submerged in water for hours, making it impassable for both pedestrians and motorists.

Addressing the press in Garissa town, SUPKEM National Organizing Secretary Abdullahi Salat described the situation as unacceptable, blaming it on poor workmanship.

“The situation on this road is really regrettable. It is clearly a result of poor workmanship. The end result is what you can all see, putting the lives of residents at risk, especially during the rainy season,” said Salat.

He called on the contractor to redo the project to meet proper standards, emphasizing the need for accountability in public infrastructure projects.

“We are asking the contractor to go back and redo the road. This road is the face of Garissa and the North Eastern region. Kenyans want value for money, not substandard work,” he added.

Baraki MCA Hassan Geley echoed the concerns, revealing that he had earlier raised the issue during the initial stages of construction, but his warnings were ignored.

“I raised this issue a while ago and even brought the matter to the attention of the Transport CS to intervene. However, nothing was done, and construction works continued,” he said.

“Three months down the line, the rains are here, and the results are there for every resident of Garissa to see. My question is, for how long will we continue to witness such work? Isn’t this taxpayers’ money? Kenyans deserve better than this,” he added.

Osman Mohamed, a trader whose shop is located along Kismayu Road, lamented over heavy losses suffered due to the flooding. While welcoming the rains after four consecutive seasons of drought, he noted that the poor state of infrastructure had turned a blessing into a burden.

“It is regrettable that instead of celebrating and thanking Allah for blessing us with rain, it is the opposite because we know whenever it rains, we will be counting losses."

"The drainage in most parts of the town, including this road, was poorly done, which has led to frequent blockages. This is a situation that needs to be addressed urgently,” Mohamed said.

Residents are now calling on the relevant authorities to act swiftly to prevent further losses and ensure that infrastructure projects meet the standards expected by the public