The administration of Migori Governor Ochillo Ayacko is currently put to the ultimate test in developing a strategy that brings about order and grows Migori town.
This is because the devolved unit has a plethora of barriers that make expansion a nightmare. Numerous traffic collisions in the town center over the past few weeks have brought attention to the risks associated with poor design. The town is in a terrible state despite its strategic importance as a vital town connecting the country with Tanzania and as a commercial hub connecting traders from the Gusii region and Nyanza.
The few land holdings that the devolved entity has have made the issue worse. The town’s land is mostly privately held, and its streets have seen some uncontrolled emergence of buildings.
Here, it is normal to witness throngs of vendors selling by the side of the road while completely unaware of the risks they are taking. All across the town are also many temporary marketplaces.
The administration of former Governor Okoth Obado had acknowledged having problems with poor town planning. The Kakrao, Got Jope, Wasweta 2, Oruba Ragana, and Suna Central wards, which were once on the outskirts of Migori town, were decided to be included in the expanded town as part of the measures to address the issue.
According to Joseph Nambori, who served as the town planning committee chair for Migori County during Obado’s administration, “the town has no land for expansion, which is why Kakrao and Wasweta have been included in its expansion plans.”
The lack of corridors and feeder roads in the town, according to Nyambori, might be disastrous in the event of a fire. The majority of the property in Migori Town is owned by private individuals who may not be willing to sell it to the county or the federal government, which poses a significant obstacle to the town’s growth.
Now that Ayacko has the initiative, everyone is watching to see how he will negotiate the challenges to find a solution. His officers have already acknowledged the difficulty that previous bad cost planning brings to them.