A section of cracked road in Laisamis in Marsabit. Business in the area was disrupted after lorry ferrying goods plunged into Lake Turkana. Photo: KENHA.
Business in Loiyangalani has been disrupted after a lorry ferrying goods was involved in an accident at Nakron-Loiyangalani at the shores of Lake Turkana.
According to Loiyangalani Sub-County Deputy County Commissioner Stanley Kimanga, the lorry was carrying sugar, flour, cooking oil and other commodities, plunged into Lake Turkana last week, and a good portion of the good was destroyed.
Following the accident, access to the day-to-day essential commodities has been a challenge in Loiyangalani area. He called on Kenya National Highway Authority (KENHA) to assess the road for safety of drivers.
Confirming the incident, Kimanga said the poor state of roads contributed to the accident, following the overflow of Lake Turkana that swept the lorry into the lake.
“Very essential services like sugar, salt and cooking fat are not in the market, as they were swept away and others destroyed by the waters. We want to call on the KENHA to work on the road as the water continues to overflow from the lake causing havoc in the roads,” Kimanga stated.
He further stated that it took the owner two days and very costly to remove the lorry from the lake, with young men risking lives to remove the lorry.
Kimanga urged that joint efforts between the residents and Laisamis Member of Parliament Joseph Lekuton can find a temporary solution, as they wait for communication from the National Government through KENHA, to officially communicate about the state of the road.
“It is good that some youths in the area are repairing the road, after they were temporarily contracted by the area MP. This help as KENHA continues to complete the upper part of the diversion we hope the construction will come to completion to avert further accidents.
However, Kimanga called on drivers using the road to be cautious, as they the road is being filled by the overflowing water from the lake that if not careful, one can be swept away.
