Vihiga: Outrage as KeNHA clears grown maize along Lwanda–Majengo Road reserve

• There was uproar on social media after KeNHA officers chopped down maize crops planted along a road reserve in Vihiga County
• While the exercise was meant to be a routine enforcement operation, many viewed it as destruction of a vital source of food and income
• Kenyans questioned why the operation was carried out at a time when the crops were nearing harvest

Residents in parts of Vihiga County have expressed anger and frustration after the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) oversaw the clearing of maize crops planted along a road reserve on the Lwanda–Majengo (B127) Road.

The exercise, conducted by KeNHA’s Western Region team alongside ALEHU officers, targeted maize plantations said to have encroached onto the protected road corridor.

For many, however, the exercise was more than just a routine enforcement operation, it was the destruction of a vital source of food and income at a time when families are already grappling with rising living costs.

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Witnesses said emotions ran high as workers moved through sections of the road reserve uprooting and clearing mature maize crops planted close to the roadway.

Some locals questioned why the operation was carried out at a time when the crops were nearing harvest.

KeNHA officials defended the exercise, insisting that road reserves must remain clear for safety and infrastructure protection.

During the sensitisation campaign, the team explained that encroachment on road corridors compromises visibility for motorists, interferes with drainage systems and can damage road infrastructure.

Officials also warned that farming activities along road reserves can increase the risk of accidents, particularly on narrow stretches where overgrown vegetation obstructs motorists’ views.

According to the authority, maintaining a clear reserve is essential in improving road safety, preserving drainage channels and ensuring future road maintenance or expansion works can be carried out without obstruction.

In many parts of western Kenya, families cultivate every available piece of land to feed their households, especially during difficult economic periods.

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Along busy roads, stretches of unused public land are frequently turned into small-scale farms despite repeated warnings from authorities.

Even so, the exercise sparked debate, with some accusing authorities of failing to engage communities adequately before carrying out the clearance.

Others argued that residents often turn to road reserves because of shrinking land sizes and economic hardship.

Arap Kogony KE:

“This activity should be done after harvesting! What’s the role of SCU team in PBC model? They should have sensitized the locals before planting.”

Edwin Koech

“Why did you wait until the maize reached that point of almost harvesting for you to cut them down?”

Wycliffe Agwata

“Sometimes let’s not fear to reason. Even though you’re in a high office, try as much as possible to utilize common sense over ignorance. Those maize plants of a very poor Kenyan could not have stayed there forever.”

Mbugua Wahome

“Those are seasonal plantations which were almost ready to be harvested. You could just have waited.”

KeNHA has meanwhile urged residents living along the Lwanda–Majengo corridor to respect road reserve boundaries and avoid future encroachment, saying the move is necessary for the safety of all road users.

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Source: NGBREAKINGNEWS