Frustration is mounting among residents of Nyatike Constituency in Migori County over the prolonged delay in completing the 41km Masara-Sori Road, a critical artery meant to connect Migori to the shores of Lake Victoria at Sori.
Officially launched in early 2019, the road project has ground to a halt, leaving locals grappling with a crumbling 21km tarmacked stretch riddled with potholes and an untouched section that continues to stifle economic prospects.
The deplorable state of the road has sparked outrage among residents, who see it as a vital lifeline for connecting communities to essential services and unlocking business opportunities.
“The Agolomuok section, still untouched, could link Migori and Homa Bay Counties, opening up trade for locals and even foreigners,” said Peterlis Onyango, a resident of the area.
For taxi operator Bravine Ochieng, the road’s condition is a daily nightmare.
“The potholes and uneven surfaces wreak havoc on our vehicles. Repairs are frequent and costly, eating into our earnings,” he lamented.
Ochieng, who has plied the route for over a decade, noted that the tarmacked sections are barely holding up, while the untarmacked portions turn into muddy traps during rains, forcing vehicles to crawl or get stuck for hours.
The road’s poor state has also turned routine trips into hazardous journeys.
Boda boda riders and motorists face heightened risks of accidents, with the stretch between Lwanda and Nyakweri—normally a 20-minute ride—taking nearly two hours.
For residents like those in Lwanda, ferrying the sick to hospitals has become a logistical ordeal, with some resorting to donkey carts as a faster alternative to vehicles bogged down by the road’s condition.
In August 2024, President William Ruto visited Migori County and recommissioned the stalled Masara-Sori Road project, igniting hope among locals.
“We danced and cheered that day, believing change was coming,” recalled Phoebe Chacha, a resident who attended the event.
Yet, over a year later, the road remains a patchwork of potholes and broken promises. Chacha pointed out that the thin tarmac layer buckles under heavy trucks, creating dangerous craters.
The Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KeRRA), tasked with overseeing the project, has offered little clarity on when the road will be completed.
Repeated attempts by to obtain a timeline have yielded no concrete answers, further fueling residents’ distrust.
“We’re tired of empty promises made during campaigns. Leaders launch projects, get elected, and then vanish,” said a visibly frustrated Chacha.
The situation worsens during the rainy season, when heavy downpours transform the road into a quagmire of stagnant pools and slippery mud.
“They blamed COVID-19 for the delays, but that was six years ago. There’s no excuse now,” Chacha added.
In November 2024, the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) invited bids for the maintenance of a section of the Masara-Sori Road under a Performance-Based Contract funded by the Road Maintenance Fuel Levy Fund.
The tender, open to contractors registered with the National Construction Authority in categories 5, 6, or 7, has yet to translate into visible progress, leaving residents cautiously hopeful but deeply skeptical.
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