KeNHA Issues Update On Dangerous Cracks Along Mai Mahiu-Narok Road

The Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) on Monday, May 1 announced that the Mai Mahiu- Narok Road will be reopened, having closed temporarily after cracks developed on the road.

The agency revealed that the road would be opened on Tuesday, May 2 afternoon following works to restore the road to normalcy.

The busy highway, which is commonly used by trucks and lorries, was closed on Sunday, April 30 after the emergence of a severe crack that occurred six kilometres from Mai Mahiu Town towards Narok, cutting across the road and thus rendering the road unsafe to motorists.

A crack at Mai Mahiu - Narok Highway on Sunday, April 30, 2023. /KENHA

"Further to the announcement yesterday on the temporary road closure due to the ongoing rains, restoration works have been authorised day and night with a target to reopen the Road by tomorrow afternoon.

"The Authority hereby notifies the public that the restoration works are in top gear and the team on site has been instructed to work day and night to ensure that the road is open to traffic as soon as possible," stated KeNHA in part.

Ministry of Roads and Transport officials led by the Principal Secretary for Roads Eng. Joseph Mbugua, and KeNHA Director General Eng. Kungu Ndungu paid a visit to the site and were appraised of the current rate of progress which would ensure the full restoration of traffic flow on the road by the end of Tuesday, May 2.

Eng. Mbugua was pleased with the rate at which the construction work was being carried out while calling for patience and tolerance from motorists due to the inconveniences.

"We thank the public for their patience and continue to urge everyone to be vigilant while using the roads, especially during this rainy season," KeNHA added.

Officials from the Ministry of Roads and Transport had ordered a closure of the Road for the safety of the public and to allow an expedition of restoration works.

KeNHA had advised motorists to use alternative routes that included Narok - Kisiriri - Mau Summit - Njoro turn off (B18) Road, to join Nakuru and other destinations or Narok - Bomet - Kaplong (B6) Road and connect to Kaplong - Kericho (B7) Road.

This is however not the first incident of heavy rains rendering roads impassable and blocking traffic. On Saturday, April 22, the National Police Service (NPS) advised motorists using Mombasa Road to approach it with caution after a section of it was flooded.

NPS noted that part of Mombasa Road had flooded along Sultan Hamud Township amidst heavy rainfall being experienced across the country, resulting in heavy traffic along the busy highway with officers deployed to control the situation.

Notably, the Naivasha-Mai Mahiu highway was on March 24, 2019, affected by a 4.8 magnitude earthquake which left behind a scary fault line on the usually busy road, forcing its closure.

Crack along Naivasha-Mai Mahiu road following a light earthquake in 2019. /MWAKILISHI.COM