Village in Isiolo cut off for 2 years after bridge collapses

Close to 3000 residents of Gotu Village in Isiolo County are counting losses following a delay in the construction of a bridge that collapsed two years ago forcing residents to depend on government vehicles to get daily supplies from Isiolo Town.

Led by their village elder Mohammed Ali Kara, the residents said a big section of the road they use to get to Isiolo Town has been closed since the construction process began in February 2015.

“There has not been any public transport to Isiolo since the buses diverted to Archers Post in Samburu County, we now depend on police vehicles to get food supplies, which are now very expensive,” Kara said.

The construction is reportedly under a contractor who was given the tender to repair the bridge early last year but he has never completed the project.

The residents urged the county and national governments to intervene and solve the situation, adding that it is difficult for patients to be taken to hospital since they also have to depend on the police vehicles that are not always available.

“Isiolo Town is 90 kilometres away, when people get very sick it becomes hard to access medical facilities,” said Hassan Abdullahi, who is one of the residents.

The government reportedly began the Ksh350 million project of constructing a modern bridge to replace the collapsed one 18 months ago.