The state of most roads within parts of Kakamega North and Webuye East and West have been in bad shape over the years due to bad workmanship carried out by the contractors awarded the tenders by politicians and this has been a unanimous cry over and over, as residents tirelessly engage the relevant authorities to take charge.
In Kakamega North, where politics has taken center stage, road maintenance is still low, with only noticeable maintenance being that of Malava – Samitsi road.
Despite the road being the busiest in the constituency, its status remains a shame to both the leaders who hail from within as they blindly have decided to ignore the cries of the common mwananchi.
It is at this juncture that one man has embarked on a mission to ensure that the road users can enjoy at the expense of his selfless sacrifice despite him being disabled.
What amazes many that the one-man self –employed contractor does not hail from within the sub county but has found it necessary to come over and do what many have never dared to do at all, repairing the potholed road using his bare hands.
Only armed with a jembe, Wasike Mukhwana propels his old tricycle approximately 30 Kilometers from his rural home in Chepsai Kivaywa in Matete Sub County in Kakamega County to Malava where he embarks on opening up blocked trenches, and using the soil to fill up potholes on the Malava -Samitsi road.
The tedious work commences between 8am to 5 pm in the evening until the stretch where the road is impassable is completely filled and levelled to the comfort of the road users.
It has not been an enjoyable journey to the 48-year-old who has no family and even sleeps on the shop pavements anywhere he finds solace as his mother and father are both deceased with his only brother whom he can’t remember since he also left home many years ago and remains untraced within the city, has had to endure the harsh realities of life after he discovered that he had multiple disabilities.
His being abled differently automatically knocked him out of favour with his could be next family kinsmen and soon he was to either develop and master survival tactics or lay back and die of hunger.
He however chose to beat the odds though through the hard way, and has managed to stay at least with one meal a day which is provided from well-wishers or through some little collections given to him by pedestrians and other road users who feel he is doing an incredible job or for others who are touched by his condition in reference to the hard work.
To him life has been one hell of an experience that he wishes one day not to remember at all considering the hardships that he has been through all the years.
“ I was pushed to start hustling at my early ages after I found out that I was on my own and no one wanted to be associated with me due to my conditions for they felt as though I was a big burden to bear and that is how the many hours and days of hunger catapulted me to end up being a local road repair as that was the best I could do by myself to get food and some little cash to repair my tricycle as no one was willing to employ or accommodate me for that reason and here I’m I thank God for giving me this opportunity to serve the community in return to the little favours I receive from them”.
Mukhwana however is a bitter man considering the challenges he undergoes through even though he blames nobody for them and is optimistic that one day his stars will shine down on him and find an alternative means of livelihood.
“To be sincere what I do is tiring and draining considering it is the only way I can find help through some good neighbours where I’m working providing some food or the road users donating to me some cash which I use to feed myself, if I decide to stay without going to the road then definitely I will die of hunger and that is why I must every day wake up no matter how tired or emaciated I may be due to lack of food to come and work to make it a day.”
He says it is not always rosy and sometimes he could work for days without anyone throwing some coins or food at him but he has to keep on digging and repairing with hopes that soon or later some good Samaritan will show up and brighten his day.
He is a common figure on Webuye, Matete, Misikhu, Kiminini and Malava roads where he has done numerous repairs ever since 1992.
The only family he has is an aunt a (widow) who resides in Malava and assists him by offering shelter and food whenever he is within the vicinity plying his trade.
“To be sincere what I do is tiring and draining considering it is the only way I can find help through some good neighbours where I’m working providing some food or the road users donating to me some cash which I use to feed myself, if I decide to stay without going to the road then definitely I will die of hunger and that is why I must every day wake up no matter how tired or emaciated I may be due to lack of food to come and work to make it a day.”
He says it is not always rosy and sometimes he could work for days without anyone throwing some coins or food at him but he has to keep on digging and repairing with hopes that soon or later some good Samaritan will show up and brighten his day.
He is a common figure on Webuye, Matete, Misikhu, Kiminini and Malava roads where he has done numerous repairs ever since 1992.
His plea to the well-wishers and government is to be donated with a modern tricycle to ease his movement and find shelter where he can call home.
