County government, KeRRA point accusing fingers at each other as conditions of the Soimet-Ndarugu bridge worsens
A cyclist trying to navigate his way through the Soimet-Ndarugu bridge.
Rain is usually seen as a sign of blessing, but for the residents of Barut and the wider Kaptembwa region, the rainy season brings fear.
Last week, Mtaa Wangu ran a story on the poor state of the Soimet-Ndarugu bridge, highlighting how crossing the bridge is a terrifying experience for residents who openly talk about their near-death experiences.
Well, the situation has worsened.
According to Nicholas Tanui, the rains that poured on September 3 put the final nail in the coffin.
Nicholas Tanui during an interview with Nakuru Mtaa Wangu.
Large cracks can be seen at the ends of the bridge, making it more dangerous to use.
Tanui, reveals that the community got together in May this year and built a temporary bridge after the Soimet-Ndarugu bridge became impassable and no political leader came to their aid.
"The water overflowed so much that the Ndarugu River burst its banks and flooded the road and the houses. We could not even see where the bridge was," says Tanui.
Evans Muinda, another resident, says: 'If you come here early in the morning, you'll see how busy this bridge is. Many school children use it to get to school. So the current state of the bridge is a threat to them.
Tabitha Moraa, on the other hand, laments the safety of the bridge, saying that although they managed to build the temporary one, the structure lacks a firm foundation.
Evan Muinda crossing the wooden bridge constructed by locals.
"This bridge offers the shortest route and is therefore preferred by many of those who live in this area. When I am on board a bodaboda, I would get off and walk past the bridge, and then the bodaboda driver would cross by himself," she says.
"This is the only alternative at the moment, but we have leaders who are supposed to take care of us. The leaders should urgently come to our rescue. They should not wait for people to lose their lives before they come and act. Honestly, this is no way to live," she laments.
The area MP, Samuel Arama, says they are aware of the problem at the Soimet-Ndarugu bridge.
"The bridge is the responsibility of the county government. Funds were allocated this year for the construction of the bridge, so we are still waiting for the funds to be disbursed," he says.
A boda boda rider crossing the wooden bridge that was put up three months ago.
County Roads Executive Eng. Michael Kamau is also aware of the problem. But he says the road and bridge are the responsibility of the national government.
"Ideally, the road and bridge should be under the Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KeRRA). They would have to liaise with the area MP to allocate funds for the road. As a county, we would only come in to assist. There was a time when we gave them our excavator to help them clear the bridge, but the repairs did not last long," he says.
Mtaa Wangu found a KeRRA tender dated July 2024 for the Church of God-Ndarugu road, which was said to cost Sh8.2 million.
We spoke to a source at KeRRA who, while confirming that the bridge and road are under the county government, says the tender is only for the maintenance of the road and not the bridge.
"The road and bridge are under Nakuru County government. Following complaints from the public, the area MP stepped in to raise funds to maintain the road. We have just been forced to step in temporarily to repair the road. Once it is done, we will hand it back to the county government," said the source.
None of the three could shed any light on plans, if any, to repair the bridge, which remains a headache for residents of Barut and Kaptembwa.