Monday, 7 December 2015

Architectural marvels redefine Mandera’s image




“Our mission is to improve lives. We will make it easier to reach hospitals and international markets. Getting this infrastructure right will spur all other sectors into excellence.” - Governor Ali Roba


There are buildings – boxes of varying shapes with square holes on the sides for windows. And the bigger they get the uglier they seem. Then there are pieces of art pregnant with cultural significance, as in Mandera town, where a boat and a cow’s face are slowly taking the pride of place.

Mandera town is today one huge construction site as the desert décor is transformed a stone a time into an architectural wonderland, thanks to the state of- the-art buildings being constructed by the County Government as well as the private investors. Governor Ali Roba holds that Mandera is a County of unlimited opportunities and endless possibilities.

He believes in investing right to unleash this potential by providing a dependable and sustainable infrastructural base. “Our mission is to improve lives. We will make it easier to reach hospitals and international markets. Getting this infrastructure right will spur all other sectors into excellence,” he says. What previously passed for a shanty township with ‘manyattas’ as dwelling places for a largely pastoralist population is now revelling in some of the best designed houses in the whole of Kenya.


The County minister for roads and public works, Ms Ethila Mohamud Issack, says they are applying best practices in having controlled development plans for Mandera town as well as for its townships of Takaba, Banisa, Elwak, Lafey, with professionals offering survey and physical planning services to investors and locals. Devolution has sparked off a rising demand for quality buildings for use as offices, as well as a rapid growth, especially in the hotel industry, where quality accommodation units that befit discerning patrons are emerging.

Landmark architectural masterpieces are on the way as the County Government of Mandera progresses the construction the County Assembly, designed in a shape reflecting the head of a cow, in this pastoralist land. The County’s Assembly building, the house on which the people’s will comes alive, has taken shape and is promising a presence so majestic the National Assembly building in Nairobi would not hold a candle to it. But behold what is being built as the official County Government headquarters. It is another brilliant piece of architecture taking the shape of a ship all sturdy to ferry the County through its unique environmental and manmade.



Achievements
• 12 inter-constituency roads covering 577 kilometres upgraded to gravel standards.
• Construction of the County Assembly on course for completion in January 2016.
• Tarmacking of 24.5 kilometres in Mandera town on-going.
• Gravelling of 152 kilometres inter-ward roads completed.
• Construction of a modern, quality rest house on course.
• Governor’s official residence under construction
• Travel time between key towns cut down by between 50-75 per cent.
• Design work for international airport done, ready to mobilise for construction.
• Construction of County Government headquarters on course for completion in January 2016.
• Construction of a stadium in Mandera town and daises in five sub-county headquarters on-going.
• Sub-county offices constructed in Lafey and Banisa towns with enough room for all departments.
• All government land secured by constructing stone perimeters.
• 40 drifts totaling 1,010 metres constructed to ensure roads are allweather.

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