News Analysis By Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City.

The construction of all weather ring roads around the shorelines of Lake Victoria is expected to be the first and foremost task to be carried out by the four counties, which are soon to be inaugurated in Luo-Nyanza.

The four counties under the devolution of power system contained therein the new constitution are namely Kisumu, Siaya, Homa-Bay and Migori. All the four counties are geographically linked to Lake Victoria at the various points.

Siaya County is linked to the lake through Bondo and Rarieda constituencies. Kisumu is linked through Kisumu Rural, Kisumu Town West, Kisumu Town East,Nyando and Nyakach constituencies. Migori County has the link to the lake through Karungu-Bay,and Muhuru-Bay in Nyatike constituency while Homa-Bay has the largest share of the lake shoreline through the four parliamentary constituencies of Karachuonyo, Rangwe.Mbita and Gwassi.

Developments of good road network in these regions are so essential for quick means of communications, trade and security of the communities living around the lake and their survival

The four regions have the potentiality of being one of the most attractive areas for tourist destination and fish trade therefore planners to be attached to the proposed counties will have the heavy task of brainstorming together in order to roll out strategic plans for the future development of these regions.

Already two important roads are currently under the construction. These include the twenty five miles Kendu-Bay-Homa-Bay which is its advanced stage of completion. The other one is the Homa-Bay- Mbita road which was commissioned early this year by the Prime Minister Raila Odinga

Already the government has constructed an ultra modern road network, which is now linking Raried and constituencies through Ndori-Luanda Kotieno.via ferries services, which are providing excellent services of ferrying passengers and their luggage, plus the normal cargo and motor vehicles across the lake. This newly built tarmac ked road has changed the landscape of the region in boosting fish trade between the two islands of Rusinga and Mfangano.

The Ndori-Luanda Kotieno road has now cut short the hours between Kisumu to Mbita point and made it much shorter and less boring. And with those travelers driving faster vehicles can reach Luanda Kotieno and load their vehicle onto the ferry within 40 minutes or an hour journey. Previously a journey through this road was a nightmare, especially during the rainy season and cruising through the muddy black-cotton soil in Uyoma areas. Residents of this region are so pleased and thankful to the government of Kenya. The road, they says is now a boon for not trade but communications is now much easier.

The most significance of the economic viability of this new road could be seen by the way and manner in which new ultra modern buildings currently under construction in trading centers and market places along the way through Aram, Ragengni, Ndigwa and Luanda Koitieno. Individual residents of the area have also taken the initiative of good road by putting modern homes all along the way from Ndori to Luand-Kotieno.

Another important road is envisaged to be constructed from Bondo Town to Rang’ala where it will link up with the main Kisumu Busia highway. It also hoped that the Siaya County will take the advantage of the billions shillings of the revolving funds to be availed to it by the central government top improve feeder and access roads in the interior part of Alego-Usonga constituency, which are presently neglected and are in a pathetic state and near impassable when it raining.

Another area where road network need to be given priority is the road linking Rodi Kopany, Mirogi, Ndhiwa, Ratang’a,Aora Chuodho and Sori at Karungu-Bay. Its construction to all weather should also be extended to Sori-Lak Nyiero, to God Bura junction to either down to Nyandiwa and Kisegi or up to Magunga headquarters in Gwassi from where it should be linked to Sindo and Mbita point. On the southern flank, the same road should link Karungu Luanda,Aneko,Ndiwa winding up at Muhuru Bay.

The all weather ring roads along the Lake Victoria is not only essential for communication, trades and easy travelling, but also important for the security of the communities living along the shoreline of Lake Victoria.

At present, we can assume that there is no external security threat against Kenya due to the fact that all the three countries that shared the waters of Lake Victoria are members of the East African Community {EAC}.But who knows for how long this cooperation would last?. Anything can happen with unpredictably changing politics of the East African region. With the unlikely possibility of a hostile government coming to power in Uganda or an unfriendly government gaining control of Tanzania things might change for the worse to an extent that Kenya may need such roads for the purpose of rapid deployment of its security force to protect its citizens.

Two other important road network, which needs to be given priority are Rodi-Kopany,Rangwe-Oyugis and the Oyugis Kendu-Bay roads. Other areas worth considering should include Awendo-Rapogi,Ombo,Sibuoche and Macalder. This rod will facilitate easy traveling between Nyatike and Uriri constituencies to supplement the services currently being provided by the road link between Oria -Riat-via Paw Otange-Thimlich Ohinga and Luanda.

There will be no time for complacency or laxity for the fur new counties governments nor there any space and room left for honeymoon due to heavy task that lays head. The roads network would facilitate the possibility of reviving the long forgotten forty five year old West Kenya Tourist Circuit. The program was introduced and launched in 1966 by the post-independence cabinet Minister for Tourism and Wildlife the late Hon.Samuel Onyango Ayodo. It was originally planned to traverse the entire Western Kenya covering areas like Lake Turkana, Mt Elgon, hinterland lakes in Baringo, and along Lake Victoria regions of Central and Southern Nyanza Maasai Mara and the entire South Rift regions.

It was indeed a diversion of tourists from their traditional destination of watching only wild animals in order to make the visitors also meet the Kenyans people in their traditional way of life in the rural areas.

The lake region has many sceneries worth visiting plus a lot of pre-historic sites such as volcanic lake Simbi Nyaima in Central Karachuonyo,. Birds watching near Oyugis, the mystery of the rock which is has human and animal footprints on it at Nyamgondho Wuod Ombare near Nyandiwa in Gwassi,Soklo Kipenji which is a small rocky island located between Homa-Bay and Usawo in Lambwe Valley, Nyama Gi Ware rocks on Rusinga Island.

The history of Soklo Kipenji is similar to that of Bemuda Triangle where ships and planes are reported to have mysteriously disappeared while trying to navigate the area or flying over. Fisheries in the nearby villages of Sikri on the Homa-Bay side and Usawo Mirunda n the Lambwe Valley side talks about the possibility of mysterious disappearance by anyone who lands his boat or canoe on this small island. Unconfirmed story goes that two European explorers whose names were not given and who ignored the advice of the local residents and defiantly landed their boat on the island disappeared with no trace to-date.

The incident is said to have taken place in around 1918 and 1920, and thereafter nobody dare to visit this island. Fishermen keep themselves at a distance fearing being pushed to the island by some hidden demonic powers. The locals say that even fish eating bird such as fish eagle dare not to land on Soklo Kipenji.

There could be a lot of new sites to be opened by new roads currently under the construction. The Homa-Bay –Mbita road would make more tourists visit the Ruma National Game Park at Lambwe which is full of species of game animals including the rare roan antelope.

Visits by boats to Rusinga and Mfangano islands would provide the tourist with a lot more for their eyes. Touristclas hotels have sprug up in Mbita Town and also on Mfangano.Both the islands could be accessed by road, boat and by air.

The challenges which lays ahead of the creation and inauguration of Counties is big and these are some of the reasons why the residents of the region are insisting that those interested in contesting the elections in the positions of County governors must be people with vast experience in administration and financial disciplines. The task would require men and women of high caliber of education and not lousy politicians.

Ends

leooderaomolo@yahoo.com