Kenyan railway line laden with accidents in waiting

By JOHN MUTHONI

Nairobi, Kenya: Encroachment of the railway line has always been a ticking time bomb.

More dangerous have been the level crossings, especially in the city as most, like the one at Mutindwa where 12 people were killed, have no barriers.  These crossings are crowded places with stalls and houses especially in Kibera, making the track invisible from both sides of the road and dangerous for both adults and children either playing or walking.

The level crossings at Mutindwa, Dandora, Kibera, Githurai 45 and 44 and Embakasi often lack basic safety features such as reflectors or street signs. Most railroad crossings do not have gates or flash lights.

COMMON KNOWLEDGE

Moreover, infrastructure for pedestrians and cyclists is not well developed. There is little provision for footpaths, footbridges, zebra crossings and cycle tracks. Even where provided, they are poorly designed, maintained, and not secure.

The metal signs are vandalised or worn beyond recognition, leaving the people around the area at the mercy of either the train that hoots or simply common knowledge that there are trains pass around the area. 

The Kenya Railways Corporation has not replaced the stolen signs. Moreover, moves to relocate and remove structures around the railway lines are always faced with legal battles and protests. The maximum speed of trains on the railway line is 127 km/hour.

In one accident, a speeding matatu ploughed into a passenger train in Kisumu, in October 2005, killing eight people. The matatu, which was travelling from Butere, failed to stop at a railway crossing, some 12km from the lakeside town.