Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has said that the government plans to upgrade notorious black spot stretches on the Nairobi- Nakuru-Eldoret highway to help reduce accidents that mainly involve lorries and public service vehicles.
The CS said the initiative of making killer stretches safer will involve road marking and erection of cat-eye reflectors to enhance visibility, erecting road signs including informatorily and warning signs and repair and installation of guardrails and standard speed bumps and rubble strips to slow down motorists.
Murkomen said the planned measures were the solution to the numerous accidents that have claimed numerous lives over the years.
Black spots dotting the highway include Kinungi–Karai–Naivasha–Gilgil Toll Station, Gilgil–St Marys–Mbaruk road section, Gilgil-Nakuru-Kasambara-Kikopey, Ngata bridge-Sobea, Sobea-Salgaa-Migaa-Sachangwan-Kibunja,Sachangwan-Mau Summit and Timboroa and Makutano junction – Burnt Forest section.
The CS assured Nakuru residents that the Ngata bridge blackspot stretch will be expanded to a dual-carriage similar to the 22-kilometre stretch from Sobea-Salgaa-Mau Summit dual carriageway on the highway and that the works were expected to be complete by April this year.
The Cabinet Secretary was speaking at Kingdom Seekers Church in Nakuru after thanks giving service for the Senators who exited office after the 2022 General Election. He was flanked by Governor Susan Kihika, her Nairobi counterpart Johnson Sakaja and Narok Senator Ole kina Ledama.
The CS reiterated that his ministry was committed and working towards long-term effective interventions to end road carnage in the country despite inheriting a sh. 9.2 billion debt from the former regime and called on leaders from the opposition to support the government in addressing the crisis facing the country.
“This is not time to scatter, but to gather”, advised Murkomen.
The Nairobi- Nakuru-Kisumu-Eldoret highway is among the most accident-prone roads in Kenya. The busy highway is part of the Northern Corridor which is the important connection to Western Kenya and the artery that connects Kenya and the landlocked countries of Uganda, Southern Sudan, Rwanda and Burundi.
The road is used for transporting most of the West-bound cargo from the Port of Mombasa and Nairobi.
Governor Kihika called on Nakuru residents to support the Kenya Kwanza government in its efforts to address the many challenges facing Kenyans and assured that her cabinet nominees and chief officers were up to the task to work for Nakuru residents after a grueling court battle.
She said that new governors were facing a huge burden of clearing pending bills they inherited from their predecessors.
Kihika stated that though Shs1.2 billion meant for development had been diverted to recurrent expenditure by the previous administration all ongoing and stalled projects in the County would be completed on schedule including health, infrastructure and school projects.
Nairobi Governor John Sakaja said he had sought clarification and verification of ballooning pending bills that he inherited from the previous administrations.
He stated that he had established a committee that will review, scrutiny, and verify the pending legal bills.
The governor at the same time called on leaders not to antagonise the Kenya Kwanza government and allow the President address the critical issues afflicting the country including drought, education and the current inflation. He also challenged Kenyans to support the government both at the county and national levels in the effort to unify the nation and ensure smooth delivery of service.
By Esther Mwangi and Charloth Chepkemoi
