In urban development it is believed that places 'reflect' the habits and way of life of people living there. Their way of life is expressed by how they use their space and time. But for Lodwar, It seems the town isn't a reflection of the people living in it but rather a reflection of the failures of those charged with the responsibility of taking care of it. Lodwar Municipal Council is nothing but a disgrace. It is an embodiment of failure. An outfit that must be bundled and thrown into the sea. But I thank God this outfit is now past tense. The County Government of Turkana is now the sole entity to redeem the image of Lodwar town. But before we rejoice, let me offer some pieces of advice to the incoming team.
Fix the water problem. Talks of development are nothing if this problem persists. No humanity can survive without water. It is the petrol they need before taking-off to their duties of life. Lodwar is endowed with this commodity. The town is home to two rivers, Turkwel and Kawalathe. So scarcity of it (water) isn't an excuse. It is an admission of fault and irresponsibility. With an average temperature of 37° C, pumping this commodity to peoples' home is possible. Solar panels come in handy. Jump into action.
Build markets. It is disgraceful to talk of an old town, (home to an incarceration center for a founding president of the Republic), without talking about the absence of markets and stalls. Fish and other perishable commodities are displayed in the open,in the scorching sun. Ironically,the municipal sheriffs religiously frequent here collecting "market fees" when markets are inexistent. Someone must learn how to deal with people. This is an outright insult on the tolerance and silence of the masses. We are waiting to see your intervention Mr. Governor!
Relocate the prison premises out of town. I know this is not within your power. All the same, I believe your voice has more weight on this issue than us the hoi polloi. Relocating the prison is not an act of ill will. It is just a response to growing demand for space within the town. No town survives without an open space, a garden or a forest-within-town. People need to connect with nature. They need to feel part of it. Likewise, the county government needs money to run its operations. Connecting these, I find it an ideal act to transform the prison grounds into a County Garden and get millions in revenues annually. How do you see that?
Make Lodwar a green town. This is possible. Put in place a policy that obliges every homestead to plant at-least one tree. Reward those who plant more. Penalize heavily those who cut trees.But please, don't take them to jail. Wait,I have an idea. Assign them two trees each to plant and take-care until maturity. Is it not workable?
Finally, the 'streets' of Lodwar are nothing but paths of donkeys and camels. They don't fit to be called streets. A lot of work is needed to convert them into streets meant for vehicles and people. You can team up with Urban Roads Authority and/or any other related entity to make this a reality. Besides, a bus park and taxi parks are highly needed. This is untapped revenue. Build a modern bus station and see how millions of shillings will be flowing into County accounts. That is the little I can contribute for the advancement of my people!
No comments:
Post a Comment
Your thoughts? thanks for dropping them here...