KeNHA Issues 4 Warnings After Southern Bypass Bumps Erected Overnight Cause Accidents

The Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) has confirmed that accidents occurred on Wednesday morning, October 4 along the Southern Bypass in Nairobi.

This is as Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen responded to the uproar from a section of motorists who decried the presence of dangerous bumps erected along the 29.6-kilometre road that connects the junction of the Nairobi-Mombasa Road and Likoni Road and the Nairobi-Malaba Road.

The CS in a statement revealed that he made an impromptu visit to the highway to assess the new bumps promising that "I am on site, I will revert."

KeNHA in a statement expressed its condolences to the families who were affected by the loss of their loved ones during the accidents along the road.

Photo of an accident scene along Southern Bypass on October 4, 2023. /MARK MASAI.X

Preliminary reports, which are yet to be confirmed indicate that three people died in the accidents.

"The Kenya National Highways Authority regrets to report the occurrence of accidents, including this morning, at Nairobi Southern Bypass. Fatalities have been reported.

"The Authority wishes to convey sincere condolences to the bereaved families and promises to walk with them during this difficult period of mourning their beloved ones as we wish those injured quick recovery," stated KeNHA.

The Authority went on to warn motorists to be careful on the road and issued four directives as follows:

1. The ongoing maintenance works along the Southern Bypass include surface dressing of the road, which is critical in sealing cracks that emerge as bitumen ages.
2. Motorists are advised to heed the signage installed along the road warning of ongoing works and fresh, loose chippings. It is unfortunate that despite the signage, a number of motorists do not comply with the speed limits.
3. To, further, slow down such motorists, the contractor has installed temporary bumps made of quarry dust to safeguard the completed works.
4. High speeds, through fresh sections of chippings, would lead to loss of chippings, compromising the finished section's quality. Besides, any attempt to brake a vehicle at high speeds would lead to skidding.

"It has been observed that motorists tend to speed along the Nairobi Southern Bypass. Indeed, a speed camera has been installed along the road to monitor traffic.

"We encourage motorists to, at all times, adhere to set speed limits on this road," added KeNHA.

Users of the highway had complained that crashes had increased since engineers from KeNHA erected the bumps in an exercise that kicked off on Tuesday from 2:00 p.m. well into the night.

Motorists also complained that some of the bumps were raised too high which frustrated drivers in their efforts to control the vehicles. Others lamented the lack of proper signage and indicators along the busy highway.

"If you intend to use the Southern Bypass, exercise caution observing low speed because huge bumps were raised overnight sending some vehicles off the road and hitting into each other. Accidents have occurred unfortunately some fatal," lamented a motorist.