Thika Road blackspot: Motorists want action

By Wairimu Kamande

The fiasco surrounding a dangerous stretch of road from Thika to Kenol has taken the path of a true Kenyan tradition.

Just days after 12 Kenya Army soldiers perished in a grisly accident when their truck overturned, Ministry of Roads workers were deployed to recarpet the road.

According to police statistics and Thika District Hospital staff, more than 400 people have been involved in accidents along the stretch in the last three years. Of these, 140 people died, even as authorities admitted knowledge that a fault existed in the way the road was constructed.

Minutes after the accident, Murang’a South District Commissioner Maalim Mohammed said the issue of the road had been discussed with the ministry several times.

He said an alarmingly high number of accidents had made him seek assistance from the ministry, as the road was too slippery.

However, nothing had been done."We have discussed the issue with the ministry. I think there should be no more waiting," he said, expressing the urgency of the matter if loss of more lives was to be stopped. Hardly a day elapses without a fatal accident being reported on the road.

Numerous accidents

Barely two days had passed after the military accident, when five people, who included four Kabati police station officers, were injured in an accident that took place at Mukeu, the very place where the members of the army perished. The policemen too, were travelling to Thika on official duty. In April this year, three administration police officers were also killed in a similar incident in the area.

Although the accidents involving members of the uniformed forces are easily remembered, numerous others involving civilians have occurred on the route.

The DC said most of the accidents involve matatus."In the short time I have been here, I have seen many accidents involving not just the armed forces, but also civilians travelling in matatus. He gave the figure of 140 people who have died in the 30KM stretch in the last three years. Thika OCPD, Patrick Mwakio, said since January this year, 43 people have been involved in accidents that took place between Blue posts hotel and Mukeu area, at the border of Murang’a south and Thika districts. Of these 43, he says, 15 lost their lives and 28 others seriously injured. The number of the victims could be more if those that took place on Murang’a side were to be included.

Thika district medical health officer, Dr Peter Kimani, also expresses his concerns over the road’s high carnage.

He said since June this year, 34 people have been attended to at Thika district hospital where many of the accident victims are treated. These, he says include over 12, who lost lives. Kimani says that of the accident victims treated at Thika, majority are from the Thika –Sagana section.

Reckless drivers

The numerous accidents have been heavily blamed on the road being slippery when it is wet. For instance, the accident involving soldiers happened during heavy rains.

The dual-carriageway is one of the busiest in the country, as it is used by motorists leaving and entering Nairobi from almost the entire Central Province.

The only action that had been taken prior to the accident are marking of the road, which the DC, however said was barely visible. The markings warn the driver to slow down due to the slippery road.

"It is usually too late for the driver to do anything since the writings are right at the dangerous points. This does not give the driver time to prepare for the surface," the DC says.

He adds that motorists are also to blame since some of them drive recklessly without minding the surface they are driving on. For this reason, the OCPD urges drivers to be more careful and exercise proper control of their vehicles.

"Let motorists be attentive and avoid speeding, since many lives have been lost due to such carelessness," he cautions.The DC says that since he learnt of the road’s carnage, he has been calling on the government to do something but it took long for them to respond.

"Having observed the high frequency at which accidents were occurring along this route, I conveyed my concerns to the relevant ministry for them to improve it and although their response has been long overdue, I am glad that appropriate action has been taken at last," he says.

Surface dressing

Asked why the recarpeting of the road had not been done before the accident, Central Province roads engineer, Kenneth Mudulia said that the project has always been overtaken by others, which were considered a priority.

He, however, promised that the repair work, to cost Sh15 million will be completed soon. The work, which has already began is aimed at roughening up the section. He says that the operation will involve ‘surface dressing’ of the road to increase friction and that it will prevent vehicles from skidding when breaks are applied.

"By increasing the tyre grip, we will ensure that vehicles do not skid after braking especially when wet," he said.

He added that the surface repair will involve pasting loose chippings on the road in order to increase friction.

He also promised that road signs will be put in appropriate areas so as to warn motorists well in advance.