Turkana people of Kenya and Matheniko communities of Uganda have lived peacefully side by side since 1973 when they signed a peace pact and committed to better business.
Yet, there has been hardly any trade flow across the border. One reason is the poor state of the road. When the Turkana County government launched a Sh12 million ($93,000) investment in Lokiriama, a border market, the enthusiasm that came with it has hardly been rewarded with booming business.
Ms Jane Nakaru, a local trader, says she expected that traders from Moroto in Uganda and Lodwar, Turkwel, and Lorugum in Kenya would be attracted to the centre. It didn’t happen.
“I am a small-scale trader who relies on bodaboda operators to get cereals, vegetables, fruits, and sugar from Nakiloro market in Uganda. I also supply baskets and livestock to customers in Uganda. However, the operation of the market was shortlived. In less than a week, all traders abandoned the market for their manyatta shops in villages,” Ms Nakaru said.
She attributed the situation to the poor state of the road, noting that traders from neighbouring villages and towns kept off due to the high cost incurred in transporting commodities to the market.
“I also decided to reduce my stock because I could only sell to my neighbours. It is not easy to get new customers. We all rely on the same number of local villagers,” Ms Nakaru said.
The market is located more than 200 meters from the village. The Lodwar — Moroto road is characterised by steep and rocky slopes at a section between Lokiriama and Nakiloro.
On the Kenyan side there are dense thickets as well as wide and sandy seasonal rivers or, if it rains, transporters can be forced to wait as long as a week before crossing.
Those who transport perishable goods suffer huge losses, while investors wait for the road to be tarmacked to invest in the strategically located centre of Lokiriama.
Nakwamekwi suburb in Lodwar town which is strategically located on the road is also hit as investors see no value for their money due to the poor condition of the roads.
Road projects have previously begun but never completed. In June 2019, for example, a Kenyan Senate Transport Committee assessed the Lodwar - Lorugum - Lorengippi - DB Loya - Konyao - Alale - Nayuapong - DB Turkana Road whose construction had begun on May 3, 2017. By 2019, the year it was supposed to be completed, the contractor had only completed 10 percent of the work.
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