Road users decry poor state of East Gate road

This is part of Nairobi East gate Road which connects Mombasa Road to Inland Container deport (ICD). Business owners and road users along this Road, are complaining over the deteriorating condition of the road on April 5, 2025. [Benard Orwongo,Standard]

Business owners and road users along East Gate Road, which connects Mombasa Road to the Inland Container Depot (ICD) near General Motors (GM), are raising their voices in frustration over the deteriorating condition of the road.

Despite being only two years old, the road has already fallen into disrepair, leaving many people suffering vehicle damage and facing mounting financial losses.

Residents point to the lack of proper drainage systems, stagnant water, and large, dangerous potholes as evidence of poor workmanship. The road’s decline has become a significant concern for both business owners and everyday road users.

David Otieno, a frequent commuter, expressed his frustration, stating, "This is a county road, and it has been like this for some time. Two years ago, it was repaired, but the contractor did a shoddy job without considering proper drainage systems. We pay taxes, yet we are suffering from this neglect. The road must be repaired."

For business owners, the road’s condition has become a daily headache. George Morara, another road user, could hardly believe the rapid deterioration of what was supposed to be a well-constructed road.

"This road was redone in September 2021, and now, just two years later, we don’t even have a functional road. It's disappointing, to say the least," he remarked.

Dennis Chesaro, who works at a nearby warehouse, noted that the road's condition is directly impacting his business.

As a delivery driver for fragile items, Chesaro said, "We do delivery jobs, and the state of the road affects our business, especially when delivering breakable items from the warehouses. The potholes and stagnant water make it dangerous for our vehicles and goods."

For him and many others, the poor state of the road is not just an inconvenience—it is costing businesses in terms of damaged goods and delays.

The affected parties are now calling on the County Government of Nairobi to intervene and take swift action to repair the road.

Three months ago, during a TV interview, Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja absolved himself from blame for the current state of many of Nairobi's roads.

Sakaja pointed to the division in leadership between the national and county governments as the reason for the city's crumbling infrastructure.

He explained that most of the major roads in the capital, including Jogoo Road, fall under the jurisdiction of the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) and the Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA), meaning his administration lacked the financial capacity to maintain them. The governor's comments came in the wake of growing frustration over the pothole-riddled roads of Nairobi.