Drive at 50kph, Nairobi-Nakuru Motorists Told

The National Transport Safety Authority (NTSA) has collaborated with the Kenya National Highways Authority (KENHA) in issuing out a directive to motorists who will have to drive at 50 Kilometers per hour in Karai Area in Kinungi.

This directive comes as a result of many accidents that have of late been taking place around the area. A total of 200 lives have so far been lost there. A stranger visiting Kinungi would wonder why there are many parents holding the hands of their school going children helping them to cross the busy Nairobi-Nakuru highway, he would even wonder more as he moves past scores of graves but to the locals, this is a norm, this a matter of life and death for it is not strange to hear the screeching of the brakes, the shattering of glass as well as a loud thump that would be followed by screams.

Karai area is located along the Nairobi-Nakuru highway and this directive of driving at 5o kph comes as a sigh relief to the residents and it is a measure that will greatly help to curb road carnage and it will have to be effected as immediate as possible.

Residents in this area have been calling upon the concerned agencies to take action towards the rampant accidents. They have been also been calling on the transport body to act as the motorists plying that road often move at a full-blown speed without taking note of the pedestrians who also use the road.

The Director of NTSA General Francis Meja together with other officials visited the area and assured the residents of immediate action. The officials disclosed that other areas like Ihindu, Kayole and Mithuri, which are also located along the same highway have been marked as black spot areas.

NTSA Chairman Lee Kinyanjui said that speed bumps and road signs are going to be put up within the next five days at the noted spots and any motorist who will break the rules will be punished according to the law.

The chairman urged the residents in the area to help in preventing the occurrence of the accidents since most of them are contributed by drunkenness amongst them. Kinungi residents have so far protested twice on that highway. The area MP Mr. John Kihangi urged the government to help in constructing a foot bridge that will greatly help in solving the issue. He termed that as a long term solution.

Accidents along highways have been reported on several occasions and the blame is at all times directed to motorist. Pedestrians too break the laws by not using the given foot bridges with the excuse that they take too much of their time and that they are exhaustive.

Both motorists and pedestrians should put in mind that they have a role to ensure that rules are followed to the latter, so as to avoid the many accidents caused on our roads each and every day, especially this festive season where most accidents tend to occur.

Article by Vera Shawiza.