Every other few months, the people of western Kenya slip into mourning. Yet another accident. Innocent lives lost. The country robbed of hard working citizens. Mums, dads, brothers, sisters, sons and daughters lost. These are the deadliest roads in western Kenya. We urge all road users to be follow road rules and be extra cautious whenever they use these roads. To those who have already lost loved ones on these roads, please receive our most sincere condolences.
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Kenya Police list of deadliest roads in Western Kenya: Accident Black spots
Kenya Police in executing their mandate as a service rather than a force, have identified the following road stretches, sections and spots as accident blackspots in western Kenya counties of Kakamega, Vihiga, Busia and Bungoma. As always, we provide insight and context, it is our hope that this may prove helpful to road users and help save lives.
Mbale- Lunyerere section of the Kakamega- Kisumu highway in Vihiga.
One December a young girl at the peak of her life and with bright future lost her life just as you enter Mbale town in Vihiga county. She was hit by a speeding car just past the Mbale police station as traffic slows down to navigate speed bumps and for public service vehicles to pay cess tax to the county government.
Not so later than that, an overcrowded 18 seater matatu plunged into river Lunyerere just by the Belgium funded solar powered urban water Vihiga project. Tens of lives were lost. The matatu was doing the Mbale-Chavakali-Majengo ‘town service’ that’s so lucrative on market days, peak times and over Christmas period. It had an untrained driver on its wheels.
The danger with this section
- At Lunyerere, there’s a steep incline on the road in both directions with the dip being the bridge over river Lunyerere.
- There’s also a slight corner as the road turns onto the bridge.
- On the bridge, the road narrows such that it requires outmost caution especially if on coming traffic includes a bus or truck or if there’s a rider also concurrently crossing the bridge.
- Heading towards Mbale on this road, be mindful of boda boda traffic off the dirt road on your left just after the bridge that heads to Itando Mission hospital.
Kakamega-Chavakali road
One of the grisliest accidents in my lived memory is the plunging of a bus belonging to a popular bus company into river Yala where it crosses the Kisumu-Kakamega- Webuye-Kitale highway just before the turn to Iguhu sub county hospital turnoff. The construction of speed bumps and rubble strips on this section of the road is most welcome.
The danger with this section
- Narrow bridge
- Sharp turn on the road as it enters the bridge
- Steep incline in both directions
Kakamega – Kisumu at Ilesi
The danger
- Heavy populated area
- Curves on the road.
Kakamega – Mumias at Makunga road
Makunga is one of the larger town market centers along this road. It straddles the highway at where the road leading to Makunga Rural health facility.
The danger in this section
- High volume of pedestrian and motorized boda boda human traffic.
- Matatus stopping by the road to pick and drop passengers.
- A curve on the road that is sudden.
- Cane trucks traffic.
Kakamega -Lubao- Webuye Road at Kambi Ya Mwanza- Ejinya Corner- Malava Forest stretch
Improvement of this section of the road by widening and tarmacking it might stem the loss of lives. Here, the problem used to be three fold:
The danger with this section
- A narrow potholed road.
- Heavy traffic of tractors ferrying loads of cane to West Kenya, Nzoia in Bungoma and as far as Kibos in Kisumu.
- Heavy human traffic poorly served by public transport occasioning use of motorized and non motorized two wheeler transport.
Bungoma – Eldoret road at Chemoi
Must be the steepest climb on any road anywhere in Western Kenya. A stretch several kilometers long that on descent contributes partly to the Kaburengu junction (now overpass) fatalities from road carnage.
The danger here
- Transport trucks hurtling down the incline in danger of failing brakes or loss of control
- Lane indiscipline on the climbing lane.
- Human traffic at Chemoi, a popular stopover point for truck drivers in need of rest and relaxation.
Webuye –Misikhu road on the Kitale- Webuye highway
In particular, the sections traversing Lugulu and Misikhu market centers. Thankfully in recent times, Kenya Police has imposed strict over speeding crackdowns on this section whose designated speed is 50 Km/Hr. Construction of speed bumps and rubble strips on this section has been much welcome.
The danger with this section
- High pedestrian volumes made of shoppers haggling and buying wares in these popular markets for onions, tomatoes, potatoes and other vegetables.
- High volume traffic from locals patronizing Lugulu Mission hospital, Lugulu girls and other educational institutions on this stretch.
Eldoret- Malaba highway at Mabanga
Mabanga means blood in Lubukusu. So notorious a blackspot that the unfortunate name for this emerging market town stuck.
Kaburengu Junction
In recent times, the Kaburengu junction (now overpass) where the Kisumu-Kakamega-Webuye highway intersects with the Eldoret-Malaba highway has been a source of tears and pain to people of western Kenya. This section is easily the deadliest of roads in western Kenya. Converting this intersection into an overpass coulds be one of the nicest things to happen
The danger
- High volume motorized traffic consisting of, in large parts, heavy trucks and sugarcane trucks.
- An informal market for fresh produce which leads to a high concertation of human traffic
- An informal change over stop for persons using public transport leading to matatus packing by the road
- The ‘drop’ from Chemoi that occasions vehicles to speed down the incline.
Bungoma- Kimilili at Lurende across chwele river and at Bokoli market center
At Lurende, the danger is:
- A stretch of clear road that encourages drivers to put their foot down on the gas pedal.
- A heavily potholed road that leads to accidents as drivers on high speed swerve to avoid the potholes.
At Bokoli the danger is
- Clear road that leads to over speeding
- A market center right at the top of a slight incline at the end of the clear road thus heavy pedestrian traffic;
- and intersection of rural roads which often carry speeding boda bodas operated by sometimes untrained drivers.
Kasabet- Chavakali road the stretch between Kaimosi complex and Shamakhokho market
The danger:
- Narrow, but clear road that is often potholed and with curves.