Naivasha leaders have petitioned Kenya National Highway Authority (KeNHA) to construct foot-bridges at trading centres on the Nairobi-Nakuru highway.

The plea follows an increase in fatal accidents at the centres over the past year with most victims being pedestrians crossing the highway.

Most affected are residents of Mithuri, KCC, Kayole, Raini, Kinungi and Ihindu where over 20 lives have been lost since the year started.

Lake View MCA Simon Wanyoike said the rising number of pedestrians who perish on the highway is worrying and blamed Kenha for some of the deaths.

“We are losing at least two people every week between the six centres that are located along the highway and it is time that this problem was resolved,” he said,

Naivasha East MCA Stanley Karanja echoed the sentiments noting that the blame lay squarely with Kenha for failing to erect speed bumps.

Ineffective stripes

He said that the rumble stripes erected last month in Ihundu shopping centre by the authority were ineffective in dealing with the speeding drivers.

Karanja said in the latest incident, three youths riding on a motorcycle were hit by a motorist, leading to the death of two.

 “We have lost the ninth victim to speeding motorists in a month and we are left with no one to protect us as our pleas have fallen into deaf ears,” he said.

Naivasha OCPD Samuel Waweru confirmed the Mithuri accident adding that the body had been collected and taken to the local mortuary.

“The deceased was working in one of the quarries and was on his way home when he was hit and we are seeking for the gateway car,” he said.

A senior officer from Kenha who declined to be named ruled out erecting bumps noting that the rumble stripes were effective in containing speeding motorists.

“Their cries are genuine but according to the design of this road we can only erect rumbles here and not speed bumps as demanded,” said the officer.