Kapchorwa roads still in poor condition

Efforts by farmers in Atari and Kapchesombe villages to further commercial farming are being thwarted by a poor road network.

George Mutai, a large scale farmer in Atari village in Kapchorwa district says roads are their major challenge. "I move 3kms from Atari to Kapchesombe with my farm products on my head. Due the hilly and rugged nature of our area trucks cannot manoeuvre the way uphill", he says.

Kapchorwa roads are still in poor condition. He says their area plays a big role in the farming industry and we are really frustrated.

Simon Epido a local leader in Atari village says the roads have affected the community directly, but it also affects the rest of the neighbouring areas and even it affects our tourism like Atari falls.

According to Epido most of the roads are really bad, so when our products are ready we use causal workers or those who have donkeys use them but the animals cannot travel long distances and at the same time they carry little produce, and the people delay your products, this affects even your profits.

All the farmers in the area said the roads had become almost impassable, making it difficult for them to transport their produce to the markets, some roads are stony, some are narrow and others have potholes the situation especially during the rainy season is too bad.

Justin Kyelangati a cabbage farmer says she incurs huge losses because she is unable to transport them to Kapchorwa town. "To get a casual workers carrying them in a 100kg from Atari to Kachesombe where trucks load from you have to pay Sh1,500 each time he or she carries, and that's too much for me", she says.