Divert trucks to avoid Salgaa crashes— MP

National Assembly Transport Committee Chairman David Pkosing has proposed trucks be diverted to use the Molo and Eldama Ravine routes as a temporary measure to road crashes on the Salgaa stretch.

The Pokot South MP said the number of casualties is higher in crashes involving trucks.

The MP proposes that heavy trucks heading to Kisumu take the Molo diversion while drivers heading to Eldoret use the Eldama Ravine route pending the construction of the dual carriageway.

DANGEROUS

“By doing this we will reduce the number of trucks on the dangerous stretch,” he said in an interview.

Recently, 36 people died after a Nairobi-bound bus collided with a truck at Migaa along the Nakuru-Eldoret highway.

On December 10, seven musicians perished in a grisly road crash after their Toyota Probox vehicle collided head on with a truck at Kamara along the same highway.

Two days later, 16 people died in horrific multiple crashes at the notorious Sachangwan black spot on the busy Nakuru-Eldoret highway that involved two trucks.

The highest number of casualties has been caused by collision between buses and trucks.

The MP also differed with legislators calling for the disbandment of the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) following recent crashes.

RECKLESS

Mr Pkosing said NTSA was not to blame and accused most drivers of being reckless on the roads.

He said NTSA should have sole responsibility checking on quality and standard of roads while Kenya National Highways Authority and Kenya National Secondary Roads Authority tasked with road management.

The MP said that his committee will fight corruption in the transport sector through oversight.

Mr Pkosing also disclosed that his committee will also assess materials used to construct bodies of buses.

Mathira MP Rigathi Gachagua, also a member of the committee, said they will hold serious discussions to tame the road crashes.