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.
