Residents of Equator area in Ndaragwa constituency, Nyandarua County have called for immediate erection of bumps at the Ndaragwa- Kianugu stretch to curb speeding by motorist that has caused several accidents.
The residents noted that unless speed bumps are installed on the said stretch, families will continue losing their loved ones noting hardly a week passes without an accident occurring along the stretch.
They claimed the black spot, popularly known as the ‘Kianugu’ located on the Nyeri – Nyahururu Highway, afew kilometers from Ndaragwa Town, has claimed a dozen lives with the latest being early last week where a KDF athlete officer died after his vehicle collided with a tour van which was carrying four Russian tourists on board.
Three tourists sustained serious injuries during the accident.
“This area has buried over 20 members of different families in the last two years caused by speeding vehicles. We are calling on the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) to consider erecting speed bumps at the stretch,” said Reuben Wang’ombe, a resident.
Benson Ngaruiya, a boda boda rider said that many riders had also been knocked down and killed in the area by speeding vehicles especially on the stretch.
“We are tired of having regular funerals. Barely a week passes without a report of an accident in the area, those in charge of our highways should do something to curb these accidents,” he said.
Speaking last year during the burial service of five family members who had perished after their vehicle was involved in an accident at the blackspot, leaders from Nyandarua called on KeNHA to make sure that the Kianugu black spot was well marked.
The leaders led by Nyandarua Governor Francis Kimemia, County Woman Representative Faith Gitau and Ndaragwa MP Jeremiah Kioni, at the time said that they would petition KeNHA to erect speed bumps and mark the blackspot to help minimize accidents in the area and help motorists to be cautious while passing the black spot.
However almost a year down the line nothing has been done with the residents blaming leaders from the region for failing to follow up on the demand.
“The question that begs an answer is, why are our leaders silent about this continuous road carnage at the blackspot?”
“What is the role of KeNHA and the Kenya Urban Roads Authority? Can’t they do something to see to it the accidents are minimized?” posed Paul Njoroge, a motorist.
Early January last year, nine people perished in an accident that occurred in the same area after the driver of the 14 –seater Matatu they were travelling in lost control of the vehicle and rolled several times.
The victims who were from the same village and most of them who were related were returning from a funeral in Nyeri County. The accident occurred only five kilometres away from Shauri, their home village.
Rampant accidents have on several occasions forced religious leaders from the region to hold inter-denominational prayers at the site as a way to cleanse the blackspot.
Police and the National Transport and Safety Authority have blamed most of the accidents occurring in the area to speeding and careless overtaking.
“When you always visit the scene after the accident and look at it you cannot rule out an element of either careless overtaking or speeding,” Nyandarua North Police boss Timon Odingo said.
By Jesse Mwitwa
