Residents living along three roads in Elgeyo Marakwet and neighbouring areas could be forced to move as the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) prepares to upgrade 123 kilometres of roads.
The planned works will cover the 72-kilometre Biretwo-Chesongoch road, the 32-kilometre Nyaru-Kapkayo road and the 19-kilometre Kimwamer-Emsea road.
In an environmental impact assessment submitted to the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), KeNHA identified displacement of residents and loss of land as some of the main concerns likely to come with the project.
The authority, however, said it would try to reduce the impact by adjusting parts of the road alignment where possible.
Those who will be affected are expected to be compensated before construction starts under a resettlement action plan.
The project is part of Phase One of the Great Rift Economic Development Corridor Project, which is being funded by the African Development Bank.
The wider corridor is expected to link parts of Elgeyo Marakwet and Uasin Gishu counties with major transport routes, including the Eldoret-Malaba highway and the Kenya-South Sudan Link Road.
Roads to get a major facelift
The improvement of the road network would help in increasing transport efficiency in a region where farming is a significant source of livelihoods.
In some instances, the roads are hard to access during the rainy season, which makes it difficult for the farmers to move their products to the market.
KeNHA has highlighted that the improvement works would have some environmental concerns during the construction process.
To minimize the environmental impacts, the authority plans to confine its earthwork operations in designated areas and utilize the cut and fill method to minimize disturbance to the landscape.
Landslide is another environmental problem. To manage the problem, KeNHA has proposed some control structures such as retaining walls, gabions, rockfall and proper drainage system.
Other environmental impacts include soil erosion, where KeNHA plans to confine its vegetation clearing and install some measures such as the silt fence and sediment traps.
Inhabitants around the construction site can expect dust, noise and other disruptions from the construction work.
KeNHA said exposed surfaces will be watered regularly, while trucks carrying loose construction materials will be covered to control dust.
Rock breaking and blasting will be restricted to daytime hours and avoided near sensitive areas. Construction equipment will also be maintained to reduce unnecessary noise and vibration.
Motorists using the affected roads have been warned to expect traffic disruptions during the construction period.
KeNHA said much of the work will be carried out during off-peak hours in an effort to keep traffic moving.
The assessment also includes measures to protect water sources, wildlife and vegetation during construction. KeNHA plans to monitor downstream water quality and control pollutants from construction sites.
The authority has also raised concerns about the possible spread of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections due to the arrival of construction workers in the area. Proposed measures include health awareness campaigns and a code of conduct for workers.
The Great Rift Economic Development Corridor is estimated to cost between Ksh170 billion and Ksh200 billion.
For farmers and traders in the affected areas, the road upgrades could make it easier to move goods and reduce losses caused by poor road conditions. However, residents whose land falls along the new road corridors will first have to wait for the compensation process before construction gets underway.