The Cabinet Secretary, Roads and Transport, Kipchumba Murkomen has announced both short and long-term strategies the government is incorporating to address the various challenges the country is facing in relation to transport.
Road safety and security, congestion of Lorries at the borders due to slow clearance, heavy traffic in towns due to narrow roads, and slow services at weighbridges were some of the challenges the CS said will be addressed.
Speaking during the Familiarization Retreat between the National Assembly Regional Integration Committee and Cabinet and Principal Secretaries at English Point Marina, Murkomen said that the ministry is working in collaboration with both the Ministry of Defense and Interior to secure all roads and facilities in the country.
“There is a massive infrastructure development going on in the North Eastern part of the country and criminals are targeting this area because they know that once the roads are tarmacked, they cannot plant Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), putting their business to an end,” the CS said.
He explained that this is the main reason why the criminals have been frustrating and attacking road contractors and that the tarmacking of the roads will be the solution to this insecurity.
Murkomen said that the country has also been conducting more exports than imports leading to the congestion of Lorries at the borders to be cleared by KRA which has been using only one machine to do the task.
He added that to deal with the congestion the government will purchase another machine and power backup to curb this challenge.
The CS said that the Ministry is also collaborating with KEBS and KENHA to put in their best effort to achieve good infrastructure and road safety so that by December Contractors can get on-site to install speed Cameras on highways in the country.
He explained that the speed cameras have been put to test in Waiyaki Way, Thika Road, and Southern Bypass, whereas driver details are used by NTSA to notify them once they are captured over speeding and the fine they are to pay.
He said that the cameras will also ensure that there is less human intervention when it comes to other road and traffic offenses.
“We are finishing the legal framework which will be sent out so that you can help us put the legal framework for instant fining and digital evidence for the purpose of dealing with the offenses,” Murkomen said.
On matters concerning the weighing of goods in transit, the CS said that there is ongoing discussion to make sure that they are only weighed as they exit the port and as they exit the country.
He said that the government is working on a proper Tracking Identification System to be put in place to virtually weigh the goods to reduce the process of having the goods being weighed on their way out of the country which will in return curb the heavy traffic the lorries cause.
He said that there is an ongoing discussion to remove the Liwatoni Foot Bridge because it has been causing unnecessary congestion and clearance of goods at the Port of Mombasa.
However, he said that Dongo Kundu Road will be a great alternative once the Liwatoni Foot Bridge is permanently closed.
By Fatuma Said
