Roads that should safely connect towns are instead becoming scenes of tragedy, with lawmakers now demanding immediate action from the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) over the poor condition of highways and bridges blamed for the rising number of fatal crashes.
MPs said delayed repairs and aging infrastructure have left road users exposed, forcing the authority to explain why dangerous sections remain unattended despite receiving funds for maintenance.
The concerns emerged when KeNHA officials appeared before the National Assembly Public Accounts Committee (PAC), where members questioned the state of major roads across the country and the pace at which damaged infrastructure is being repaired.
The committee heard that many national highways have developed large potholes while several bridges have continued to deteriorate, making travel unsafe for motorists, passengers and pedestrians. Legislators said the situation becomes worse during the rainy season when roads are washed away and some bridges become impassable.
Lugari MP Nabii Nabwera pointed to the Chemoi Bridge along the Eldoret-Webuye highway, where 14 people died last week after a matatu collided with a truck. He said the bridge and the surrounding road have remained dangerous for years, yet little has been done to improve safety.
“I am sure KeNHA gets reports of deaths that occur between the Mukhonje area and the Eldoret- Malaba road. We are losing people every day because we have a problem with the steep road between Mukhonje and Chemoi area,” Nabwera stated.
“There is also Chemoi bridge which is too narrow. Just last week, a matatu and a truck collided and 14 people died. For how long will this continue before action is taken?”
Teso South MP Mary Emaase also questioned the authority over the condition of the Kisumu-Busia road, saying motorists are forced to navigate deep potholes that become even more dangerous when filled with rainwater. She further raised concern over the Malaba-Busia road, saying heavy trucks continue to use the route even though it was not designed to carry such loads.
“These roads are full of pot holes and when it rains, we have water-filled holes that resemble the size of a swimming pool. I am just wondering what plans KENHA has for improving these roads,” Emaase said.
“The Malaba- Busia road was also not meant for heavy trucks but because of the heavy traffic on that road, you find heavy trucks taking a shortcut and using the roads to access the Malaba border or Busia border I don’t know what plans you have to reduce traffic or block the heavy trucks from using it.”
KeNHA Director General Luka Kimeli acknowledged some of the concerns raised by the committee, saying the authority has already begun rehabilitation work on sections considered a priority within the national road network.
He told the committee that one of the major causes of accidents along the Eldoret-Webuye transport corridor is truck drivers who freewheel on steep sections of the road. He said KeNHA is working with the police to arrest such drivers while plans are underway to expand the Chemoi Bridge.
“One of the biggest problems is freewheeling by trucks on that road and we have told the police to take charge and assist us arrest these fellows… But then I agree that the bridge is a bit narrow and we can put it in our programme to ensure that it is expanded to save lives,” Kimeli stated.
Kimeli also admitted that the Malaba-Busia road is deteriorating because of overloaded trucks and said the authority will introduce a mobile weighbridge to deal with the problem.
“It is true, the section of the road between Malaba and Busia is getting worse every day. To stop the overloading, we will be deploying a mobile weighbridge to stop those heavy trucks to stop the roads,” Kimuli stated.
“That road was not meant to provide passage for the heavy trucks but provide passage for the lighter trucks. On the Kisumu-Busia road we appreciate it is in a bad state but not necessarily because of the rains. We are dealing with a road that was constructed a long time ago and it is now aged and required reconstruction.”
“In the meantime, what we are doing is that we had a contractor who was not a good one and we had to move him but we are getting another one who will be able to repair the potholes. We are also working with the ministry to see if we can be able to secure funding for these roads.”