Video of 2 Motorists Racing on Expressway Causes Uproar

An aerial image of the Ksh88 billion Nairobi Expressway.
An aerial image of the Ksh88 billion Nairobi Expressway.
File

A video of two motorists dangerously speeding on the Nairobi Expressway amid the spike in accidents on the elevated roadway has caused an uproar among members of the public.

In the footage seen by Kenyans.co.ke, the co driver of one of the vehicles records the stunt, capturing the speedometer clocking 220 kilometres per hour.

The vehicle hits the top speed as it cruises past the Eastern Bypass exit which is barely five kilometres from the Mlolongo toll station which has suffered multiple accidents.

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Ahead of the vehicle is another driver who seems to be moving even at a higher speed as the one doing 220km/hr could not keep up with the speed.



The driver in front, with a red car, maintains a considerable distance between him and his competitor, carelessly ignoring the speed limits set on the elevated road.

"Ah! That vehicle is moving, the guy is gone!" Remarked the driver of the vehicle from which the video footage was captured.

Based on the speedometer reading, both motorists had exceeded the expressway maximum speed limit of 80km/h, driving two and a half times faster.

The video footage has sparked outrage among Kenyans who condemned the reckless driving.

Solomon Gichuki, a social media user, opined that individuals should stop trying to peg the accidents on design flaws and admit to speeding. He also recommended tough penalties for motorists found flaunting rules.

"This, I call it illiteracy at best. Spinning that vehicle at such speeds and above it and record too? Then someone yaps design flaws! We need a whip and someone being barred from the road. Too many objects or users hence posing a threat to their safety," argued Gichuki.

Veteran journalist Saddique Shaban called on drivers using the Expressway to maintain discipline during their commute, warning that it would not be long before vehicles start flying off to the lower deck.

"If we are going to blow past speed limits doing 100km/h or 160km/h instead of 80km/h, I am afraid that is is only a matter of time before a vehicle flies over this elevated highway onto the road beneath  - and with deadly consequences," Shaban reiterated.

In the span of a months, two accidents have occurred at the Mlolongo toll station claiming one life and injuring several others. The latest incident involved a speeding 33-seater matatu which lost control and rammed into a vehicle and toll station booths.

A collage image of an accident at the Nairobi Expressway Mlolongo toll station on July 4, 2022.
A collage image of an accident at the Nairobi Expressway Mlolongo toll station on July 4, 2022.
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