That a single piece of infrastructure can transform not only the look, but also human activity wherever it is situated is no news. The completed Chavakali junction overpass along the Kisumu-Kakamega highway serves as further evidence of this claim.
If in need of before photos of the junction during it’s construction, look no further than our piece on the beginning of this transformation of the Chavakali- Kaimosi junction. Further pictorial evidence of this journey can be found in our contextual piece on the Kisumu-Kakamega-Webuye-Kitale highway.
PHOTO: VIEW OF CHAVA JUNCTION FLYOVER FROM CHAVAKALI MARKET ALONG KISUMU-KAKAMEGA HIGHWAY
To appreciate just how much the upgrading of this section of the Kisumu-Kakamega-Webuye-Kitale highway that traverses through Chavakali has transformed this part of Vihiga, you have three options.
First, you can to pick a spot by the old-as-the-town Kobil petrol station and look yonder towards Kakamega. Secondly, the iconic Ambwere Alliance Hotel- Chavakali, ought offer a more vantage view thanks to elevation.
The third, my personal favorite, is to drive down the overpass towards Kisumu, guided on by the street lights the pave the way. Coming this way, the dancing neon lights of Chavakali nightlife tempt one to make a stop. To stop, stay and sample the burgeoning nightlife.
PHOTO: CHAVAKALI JUNCTION OVERPASS, VIEW FROM KAPSABET- CHAVAKALI ROAD
The Kapsabet- Chavakali road, most of the year, through out the years is a nightmarish experience. I would not be exaggerating to state that road users let out a collective sigh of relief as they navigate over the road bumps, around that last bend that brings Chavakali junction into view. With completion of the overpass, travelers will have one more thing to enjoy aside from the smooth ride ahead.
Now that we have an overpass and roundabout where we had a junction, what becomes of the name Chavakali junction? Will it go the Kanduyi way and drop the junction name altogether and become simply “Chavakali”? And in doing so, will this location become the spot that is “Chavakali” just as the Kanduyi junction became “Kanduyi”? Our next article attempts to answer these questions by asking: What’s in a name? A crystal ball into the future of Chavakali Junction.
