BY JOSEPH NDUNDA The construction of Nairobi-Thika superhighway that ended almost a year ago was expected to ease the traffic congestion along the road with the highest traffic flow in the country; and enable faster, reliable, comfortable and more affordable journeys for motorists and commuters alike. In addition, the completion of the road was anticipated to facilitate the achievement of Kenya’s strategic plans for socio-economic development that would benefit all stakeholders and provide prosperity to all Kenyans as well as raising Gross Domestic Product (GDP) enormously. This, according to Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) the body in charge of construction, rehabilitation and maintenance of national highways, is part of Vision 2030, Kenya’s development blue print aimed at making Kenya a newly industrialized country providing high quality life for all its citizens. And indeed, some of the gains espoused have been achieved. For instance, the travel time from Nairobi to Thika has reduced tremendously from between 2-3 hours previously to 25-45 minutes after its completion and commuters are enjoying that albeit with reservations. However, motorists and commuters plying the road and business community along the magnificent eight lane superhighway first of its kind in East and Central Africa, that took 42 months to be constructed, are experiencing a plethora of problems. On top of the list according to motorists who spoke to this writer is vandalism. Scrap metal hungry goons have continuously vandalized gourd rails, Street lights and road signs together with their prodding metallic rods with unprecedented gusto that has led to increased road carnages. The road users now say if the government does not move in promptly, to avert the escalating problem, it could reach crisis proportions and reverse the gains otherwise achieved. Bernard Kuria a resident of Kahawa West who runs a spare parts shop in town for instance said driving on the mega highway at night could sometimes be a nightmare. “The lights are inadequate yet slowing down or driving slowly could be very dangerous because of criminals who invade the road when dark falls in,” he said. Availability of ready market for steel objects and other stolen goods from unscrupulous business community, has heightened vandals’ appetite for state installments as well as criminal gangs always hovering on the roads. This, undeniably, is a problem whose manifestations are well known by all motorists who use the road. In the list, is recklessness of drivers, insecurity and occasional floods that cause immeasurable damage and loses to motorists which in worst cases, lead to drowning. Public Service Vehicles (PSV) drivers according to purity Muthoni a roadside hawker, are a nuisance who contribute heavily on insecurity. She says they drive with utmost disregard of the law, obstructing others and this is what gives criminals chances to pluck side mirrors, wind screens as well as attacking motorists. “”Matatu drivers stop anywhere even in the middle of the road to drop or pick passengers inconveniencing other drivers. Sometimes they do it intentionally and wittingly to cause traffic snarl ups so that criminal gangs including carjackers, who they work in cahoots, can take advantage of the situation to ambush motorists and even hijack them,” she said. “Many accidents like that involving a bus which two months ago veered off the road hitting and killing four people was caused by over speeding and careless driving,” added the second-hand books dealer at the Githurai bus-terminal. KeNHA, the Authority responsible for the management, development, rehabilitation and maintenance of national roads says the institution cannot be blamed for all the woes that have rocked the country’s finest road infrastructure. “Our role is construction, upgrading, rehabilitating and maintenance of national roads network and setting rules for their usage. We are not the enforcing authority. We don’t have arresting mandate,’’ KeNHA Communications Officer Charles Njogu told this writer on phone. “Everyone knows that vandalism is widespread menace facing many institutions and there are relevant authorities to deal with it,” said Njogu. He said poor drainage is not to blame for floods experienced recently but heavy rainfalls.
Posted on: Thu, 12 Sep 2013 10:26:55 +0000
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