From gross to grace: The story of Ongata Rongai.

Mid last year I blogged the story of filthy filthy Rongai. Afterwards, I questioned myself whether I was being part of the problem or the solution. In which case, I decided to be part of the solution. I highlight what in my opinion could be quick actions to turn the town into a habitable and investor friendly town. Keeping in mind that it falls in Kajiado County which is considered potentially the wealthiest county in Kenya.

Traffic jam: The nightmare of anyone who lives or visits Ongata Rongai. There is only one major road-Magadi road- that leads into and out of Ongata Rongai. Anybody who needs any service herein must use this road. To resolve this, the Governor and MP of Kajiado north have spearheaded the creation of a murram road that connects Gataka road, Tusky’s chap chap and Karen. This is in progress and is deemed to end sometime in mid-February. While at it, they should consider upgrading the Maasai lodge road that leads all the way to Rimpa even if only to Tarmac status. This would ease the traffic by ensuring that all the people going to Kiserian, Nkoroi and Rimpa and don’t have any business in Rongai would not need to go through Magadi road.  The same could be done for the road that goes through Maasai lodge, World restoration church to the Council market upto Kobil petro station. In simple terms, any one going home or anywhere else and has no business on Magadi road between Uchumi supermarket and Tusky’s chap chap should not be on Magadi road. 

Garbage: Where exactly is the garbage collection point in this town? At kware market? At world peak fuel station? On the road side? It should be very clear where garbage collected should be disposed. Morning after morning there is garbage strewn everywhere on Magadi road. It’s a total eyesore. The county workers should spell out clearly where garbage should be dumped, then enforce the law. Anyone found dumping especially on the road should be prosecuted as spelt out in the law. 

Trenches: Someone dug trenches from Olympic petrol station all the way to the Address lounge. That was in November 2013 and to date nothing has been done about the open trenches. They are a hazard of all sorts health wise, environment wise, ugly and so on and so on. With the on-set of the long rains beckoning soon somebody needs to cover them up immediately. And while they are at it they should collect all the paper bags stuck in those trenches. Otherwise they will later block and clog the entire drainage system.

Pot holes: Before the heavy rains in November-December 2013. Magadi road had been repaired all the way to Kiserian. After the rains both potholes and craters came back, bigger and deeper. These are great contributors to traffic and especially at Olmpic petrol station. Please repair them before the rains start again. This time consider it in the long term: two weeks of rain fall should not render a road useless.

Kware market: This will be the game changer in Ongata Rongai whether we like it or not. This must be the Governor’s night mare. Unfortunately, even though the traders are part of the constituents they know that the market causes the most commotion and confusion in the entire Ongata Rongai. Considering that more than three million Rongai residents use Magadi road it would not be prudent to have a market on the same road and especially so, right in the middle of it. The market attracts Lorries, donkeys, boda-bodas, carts, human traffic name it. When the traders say that relocating to the set aside shed market near Tumaini supermarket will make them lose their customers, they are not been honest . When you require something you go for it and those are the dynamics of market forces. Even if the commodity is in China, need will make one go there. Mr. Governor, moving the market to its rightful place might not make you popular to the traders but be sure you will re-elected in 2017 for that one action alone.

Bus stop at Tuskys supermarket: Sincerely, it is not feasible to have a bus stop at the entrance of a major shopping hub, entry to kware market and on both sides of the road. This greatly contributes to the never ending jam. The town’s new preferred means of transport is minibuses they are too large for the undesignated bus stop. This could be quickly resolved when the market is moved, the stage then moves to where it should have been in the first place further unclogging Magadi road.

Rough roads: The County has the machinery to even out all the roads in Rongai. For heaven’s sake even if we are not tarmacking the roads, please let them be usable. The intersecting rough roads make Rongai very unsafe. this coupled with the fact that most roads are one way. This is a task that can take less than one week and would change the face of the town.

Is the water shortage in Rongai real or imaginary? How do you explain that every 50 metres from Uchumi supermarket to Tusky’s Supermarket there is a car wash? Where do they get water from?

Mr Govenor, I wish you well.

Sojourner,