Fear of killer Salgaa stretch force motorists to opt for alternative routes

The Sachangwan accident that claimed over 15 lives on Tuesday. (Photo: Harun Wathari/Standard)

The increased number of accidents along the Nakuru-Eldoret Highway over time has raised fears forcing motorists and passengers who now opt for alternative routes that guarantee them safety to various destinations.

Most motorists now travelling to Eldoret and Western parts of the country are re-routing and opting to use Nakuru-Eldama Ravine -Makutano road.

The Nakuru-Eldama Ravine-Eldoret route joins the main highway at Makutano junction that heads towards Eldoret and Kapsabet towns.

Gideon Lusiola a matatu driver said a section of drivers fear using the main highway more so at night hours where most accidents are reported.

He said there are passengers who prefer using the long route that guarantee them safety to their destinations.

“A lot of drivers are opting to use alternative route towards Eldoret because of fear of being involved in road accidents at Teachers, Salgaa, Sachangwan and Total areas,” said Lusiola.

The driver added that operators of passenger and personal vehicles plying Kakamega, Kisumu towns also prefer Nakuru-Njoro- Elburgon-Molo road.

Those who use the route join the main highway at Kibunja Center, as they try to avoid Sobea, Teachers, Salgaa, Migaa and Sachangwan, areas where several accidents have in the past been reported.

Teachers’ area is among localities that is recently recording high number of road accidents that result into deaths.

On Friday morning, a driver of a passenger bus that was coming from Kampala in Uganda headed to Dar-es-lam died at the area after being involved in an accident.

The passenger bus was hit by a lorry that was headed to the opposite direction, leaving more than ten people with injuries.

“This route is not safe, there are times we meet animals on the road and we suspect some might be demons. People might blame drivers but it is not our fault,” said the driver who plys a taxi along Nakuru Kisumu road.

Mercy Openda, a business trader who sell potatoes in Kisumu town told The Standard that though number of accidents along Nakuru-Salgaa route is worrying, she is forced to travel because most of her produce are purchased in Molo.

Openda said there are several times she has witnessed people breath their last, following grisly accidents.

“Anytime I travel along the route, I pray for protection because I have seen a lot of people headed to various destination die,” said the trader.

The Rift Valley Traffic Enforcement Officer Mr Ziro Arome said plans are underway to set up road blocks along the route to curb accidents.

Mr Arome said according to traffic department record, major cause of accidents along the highway is human error that include speeding, freewheeling and failure by drivers to observe traffic rules.

“This route is worrying. There are people who associate Salgaa-Sachangwan areas with deaths this is why we are working on strategies of setting up road blocks,” said the officer.

This year alone, at least 60 people have lost their lives with several scores reported along Nakuru-Eldoret highway despite erection of bumps and road signage.

At least 450 people have died along Nakuru, Salgaa, Sachangwan stretch in the past ten years with 464 people having been seriously injured.

Traffics department record adds that people who have sustained slight injuries after being involved in the accident at the stretch is 1050.

The most memorable accident along the busy highway is Sachangwan tragic fire on January 31, 2009 that left 131 people dead after a tanker ferrying 50,000 liters of petrol headed to Juba in South Sudan went up in flames after an accident.