Kenyans woke to the sad news of a fire tragedy at Karai area of Naivasha yesterday. A truck carrying highly flammable material rammed oncoming vehicles on Saturday night after its driver lost control on hitting an unmarked bump, bursting into flames.
By yesterday, the death toll stood at 39. Eleven of the victims were General Service Unit personnel. The severity of the fire was that most of the bodies were burnt beyond recognition. Only DNA tests will help in identifying the dead.
The Nairobi-Nakuru road is reputed to be the most dangerous in Africa, claiming at least one life every three days. In January 2009, a fuel tanker overturned at Sachangwan along the highway. The resultant fire from the spillage claimed more than 100 lives.
In September 2011, an oil leak on a Kenya Pipeline Company duct floated down a stream in the Sinai informal settlement in Nairobi, causing a fire that claimed over 100 lives. In the same month, only days apart, a tanker overturned on the Kisumu–Busia road, burst into flames and took away four lives. These deaths were in vain since no lessons in safety where transportation of flammable materials is concerned were learnt.
The latest accident raises many questions. For instance, are there specific requirements for transporting highly flammable material? Did the Naivasha truck fulfil those requirements?
Are there timelines within which trucks and tankers carrying petroleum products should be allowed on the road to avoid accidents? While fuel tankers are supposed to use the Mai Mahiu Naivasha route, isn’t it also prudent to demand other vehicles carrying flammable material use the same road?
For good reason, towards the end of his rule, President Daniel Arap Moi banned heavy trucks from moving between 6pm and 6am. Oil tankers fall in this category yet often move sluggishly at night. The ban should be enforced as a measure of enhancing safety.
Witnesses to the Naivasha accident claim an unmarked road bump caused the accident. More than anybody else, those charged with the management of our roads, notably the Kenya Highway Authority, the National Transport and Safety Authority and the traffic police department, should understand the importance of road signs which, clearly, are missing on many roads.
Whoever authorised the erection of bumps at the latest accident scene changed the road design without giving motorists the benefit of advance warning. Proper and visible signage could save lives by warning motorists of impending dangers; loose chippings, construction work, changes in the roads and approaches to bridges and market centres.
But we should not lose sight of the fact that many accidents are caused by driver fatigue. Allowing drivers time to rest is important.Kenyan road designers have failed to take into account the exponential growth in vehicular traffic. There has been little or no attempt to embark on road expansion programmes.
While notorious accident black spots like Salgaa call for special attention, authorities promise action but relapse into inaction until the next accident occurs for the cycle to be repeated. Deputy President William Ruto, who visited the accident scene yesterday, promised the Government will embark on building a dual carriage way soon, but having lost too many lives on this killer road, it might be too little too late.
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