A county government is counting losses after a project which is valued at Ksh100 million was destroyed just a week after it was officially launched.
The infrastructure project was launched by Kajiado Governor Joseph Ole Lenku on February 17, who noted that it was to be a link between a number of wards.
However, the newly built bridge in Paai was destroyed by heavy rains that pounded the region over the past few days.
The pillars of the bridge gave in to the pressure from flash floods on Wednesday, February 23 night and broke right in the middle, with the remaining pillars left shaky.
According to residents, the remaining part of the bridge may also collapse any time. The unfortunate turn of events has left many people stranded on both sides of the bridge.
"The bridge tumbled down in the middle of the night. Those individuals who were waiting for the rains to subside to go home found the bridge collapsed," one of the residents told a local publication.
The Paai bridge, called an "inter-sub-counties connector", links other parts of the county to Kinyawa Poka ward in Kajiado East that over the years had been isolated.
Governor Lenku noted that three wards in Kajiado East will benefit from the project.
"Farmers in three wards to be connected by the new Paai Bridge. A bridge connecting three wards through the Eselenkei River to commercial farms in the three sub-counties of Kajiado," Ole Lenku stated during the launch.
Before its construction, the area was a dark spot where most people lost their lives, animals drowned and other property washed away by the heavy rains.
Its construction saw the areas of Matapato North, Mbirikani/Eselenkei and Kinyawa Pokato to Mashuru town connected to the nearest centre in the west with medical facilities, a livestock market and other government services.
Ole Lenku is expected to visit the area and issue an official statement regarding the collapse of the bridge, including measures that his government is putting in place to prevent future occurrences.
