The County Government of Busia has unveiled a Japanese technology which uses sacks filled with soil to repair worn out tarmac roads.
According to a report by Daily Nation, the new technology known as Do-Nou, is a cheap road construction and maintenance method aimed at making dry-weather roads passable even when it rains.
The technology involves stuffing soil or Murram into sacks and using them to fill water-logged areas of the county.
The county government, in conjunction with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), seeks to rehabilitate over 14 km of road network in the county.
Speaking on Saturday, March 13, in the county, Busia Governor Sospeter Ojaamong noted that the partnership was part of his plan to change the face of the county.
"Any Governor must be criticized, and I have taken it positively. I have able Chief Officers in charge of Lands, Housing and Urban development including Teresia Mbingi who are leading the reforms to make Busia town a 24-hour economy," he stated.
How the technology works
Do-Nou Technology involves use of gunny bags filled appropriately with either sand, farm soil, gravel or murram the opening properly tied and then, compacted manually.
The sacks used in Do-Nou are commonly used for: raising embankments to prevent floods and reinforcing buildings’ foundations.
The workers first identify the impassable rough roads and remove any stagnant water and mud from the impassable section.
They then excavate the impassable sections to a depth of 10cm, 20cm or 30cm for one (1), two (2) or three (3) layers of “Do-Nou” bags, respectively.
The sacks are then filled with the recommended quantity of either murram, gravel sand or farm soil which is then tied.
The bags are then laid in rows within the excavated sections and are compacted them manually.
After compacting the final layers of the Do-Nou bags, a five centimeter thickness of Murram is then applied to prevent direct contact between the bags and the traffic. The murram also prevent direct ultra violet rays hence keeping the road in good condition for a longer period
