Ban day travel for lorries to ease traffic on highway, MP urges government

This traffic jam near Miritini made many passengers in public transport vehicles to alight and walk for several kilometres. Jomvu MP Badi Twalib has said lorries should only travel at night so as to ease traffic along the Mombasa-Nairobi highway. PHOTO | ROBERT GICHIRA | NATION MEDIA GROUP 

In Summary

• He also called on the Ministry of Transport to investigate the real cause of the heavy traffic.
• Motorists who use the route said they are spending more than six hours on the 10km stretch because of the perennial traffic jams.
• Traffic police officers were overwhelmed by the jam and watched as unruly drivers blocked roads going towards Nairobi and Mombasa making them impassable.
• Tourists in their vans watched in astonishment and others used their cameras to take pictures of the situation.

By WINNIE ATIENO
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Lorries should only travel at night so as to ease traffic along the Mombasa-Nairobi highway, Jomvu MP Badi Twalib has said.

He wants the national government to come up with a policy that will see the lorries, especially those operating at the port, to travel between 10pm and 6am only.

Mr Twalib, who was among thousands of travellers caught up in the heavy traffic on Saturday, said the congestion has become a nuisance as people lose valuable time on the road.

He also called on the Ministry of Transport to investigate the real cause of the heavy traffic.

“The Kenya National Highways Authority should wake up. We are aware funds have been released for construction of a dual carriage from Changamwe to Mariakani.

"However, we are surprised nothing has been done to date,” said Mr Twalib.

CRUCIAL LINK

“This highway is a crucial link from the port to other parts of the country as well as other countries including Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and South Sudan. This means the heavy traffic is affecting the economy of the region.

“It is sad that even tourists are caught up in this mess. This is really a bad experience for them,” he added.

The MP wants traffic officers stationed strategically on the road to help ease congestion.

“The county government should also expand other roads to give motorists alternatives whenever the highway becomes impassable,” Mr Twalib said.

“Police officers at the Miritini inspection area, please stop parking lorries along the highway,” Mr Twalib appealed.

Motorists who use the route said they are spending more than six hours on the 10km stretch because of the perennial traffic jams.

Traffic police officers were overwhelmed by the jam and watched as unruly drivers blocked roads going towards Nairobi and Mombasa making them impassable.

Tourists in their vans watched in astonishment and others used their cameras to take pictures of the situation.

Some Mombasa residents took to social media to call upon the national government to solve the problem while others urged newly appointed Tourism Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala to help save the situation.