Questions raised after Nyamasaria overpass turns into a death trap for truckers

Nyamasaria overpass. [Michael Mute, Standard]

"The government should do somethin about this flyover. Let them raise its walls up so that if a vehicle loses control, it can stay up instead of falling down," said Maureen Atieno, a resident.

Yesterday, stakeholders, including senior security officials, said they believe the design of the bend could be behind the spate of accidents.

Governor Anyang' Nyong'o challenged Kenha to find a lasting solution. "I ask the police and Ministry of Transport to find a lasting solution to frequent accidents on the Nyamasaria flyover, even if it means barring lorries weighing more than 10 tonnes," said Prof Nyong'o.

In past eight months, about five trucks ferrying sugarcane have rolled off the flyover, leaving scores injured and several deaths.

Last year, three people died in an accident involving a truck ferrying sugarcane, after it veered off the flyover and landed 20 metres down, crushing two cars.

The driver and a passenger died on the spot. The accident left two vehicles, which were at a makeshift car wash below the flyover, destroyed.

About a year ago, three other people also lost their lives at the same spot in an accident involving another sugarcane truck.

The same year an accident happened in the same spot leaving two dead, while more than 20 students escaped narrowly after a 12-tonne lorry laden with sugarcane plunged down.

A student was hit as the lorry tumbled down and died on the way to hospital.