Clergy want Webuye-Kitale highway expanded

The wreckage of a tractor that was involved in an accident earlier this year, killing five people at Maliki in Bungoma county along Webuye- Kitale highway.  [File, Standard]

Religious leaders in Webuye East and Webuye West, Bungoma County, have urged the national government to fast-track measures aimed at reducing accidents along the Webuye–Kitale highway.The clergy were reacting to a recent crash along the busy route that claimed at least 15 lives.

Speaking at Lugulu, Webuye Pastors Fellowship chairman Salim Ali Wanyama called on the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) and the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) to expand the road and install adequate signage to enhance safety.

They also urged local MCAs to enact laws strengthening road safety and challenged the Ministry of Transport to erect speed bumps to slow down motorists and trucks using the highway.

“We continue to lose lives through road accidents. Leaders promised to implement proposals raised by stakeholders, including designating lanes for trailers and tractors and widening the road, but we have yet to see progress. We also need traffic officers deployed to manage flow,” said Wanyama.

The call comes just days after an ambulance driver died in a crash involving a trailer at Malaha junction, following a head-on collision with a truck.Bishop Walukhu Machimbo said the clergy will continue to push leaders to prioritise development and safety.

“As religious leaders, we have a duty to guide and hold leaders accountable in ensuring peace, development, and economic stability,” he said.Residents attributed the frequent accidents to brake failures in trailers and overspeeding.

Local resident Peter Wekesa said long-distance trucks have become a major concern and called for alternative routes.

“Leaders promised road expansion after the Malaha accident, but two months later we have only seen road markings and signage. We need real action to save lives,” he said.