We’ll oppose attempts to remove bumps from highway, Naivasha residents say
Pedestrians and motorists on December 12, 2016 view the scene in Naivasha where 11 vehicles were burnt and over 40 people died on Saturday night. Residents of Karai where the accident happened have said they will oppose any attempts to remove bumps from the road. PHOTO | SULEIMAN MBATIAH | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- The bumps have been cited as the possible cause of the Saturday night accident.
- President Kenyatta told KeNHA and Infrastructure ministry to take responsibility for reckless erection of bumps on highways.
- An engineer at the scene said a section of the road has a steep gradient, posing a challenge to vehicles with heavy cargo.
- Naivasha Deputy County Commissioner Isaac Masinde said they will hold a meeting to deliberate on the speed bumps.
A showdown is looming between residents of Karai in Naivasha and the government over a proposal to remove speed humps at the dangerous stretch along the Nairobi-Naivasha highway where over 40 people died on Saturday.
The bumps have been cited as the possible cause of the Saturday night accident.
In his Jamhuri Day speech, President Uhuru Kenyatta told the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) and the Infrastructure ministry to take responsibility for reckless erection of bumps on highways and asked them to do a better job.
But Karai residents, led by spokesman Kabono Mwangi, have said they will resist any attempt to remove the speed humps.
“We have lost a number of people while trying to cross the road at the point where the accident occurred,” he said.
The resident said the government should prepare for protests if the speed humps along the perilous stretch are removed.
BLAME BRAKE FAILURE
“It is through such demonstrations that the bumps were erected and we will revert back to protest should the bumps be removed,” added Mr Mwangi.
He blamed the Saturday night accident to brakes failure, saying the truck that caused the accident was speeding before crashing into several oncoming vehicles.
An engineer at the scene who declined to be named said a section of the road has a steep gradient, posing a challenge to vehicles with heavy cargo.
“Additional rumble strips to warn drivers approaching the particular section of the road are important,” said the engineer.
Some of the locals admitted that signs indicating there are bumps were placed on the road but were later vandalised by unscrupulous scrap metal dealers.
Naivasha Deputy County Commissioner Isaac Masinde said they will hold a meeting with the relevant agencies tasked with road safety to deliberate on the speed bumps.
In Saturday night accident, 40 people, among them eleven General Service Unit (GSU) officers died after a truck ploughed into several vehicles and burst into flames.
Eleven vehicles were also reduced to ashes.
