Outer Ring road, ranked the world’s most dangerous, has been thrust into the limelight once again for all the wrong reasons after vandals raided it.
It was reported in the media that unknown people descended on the Ksh8.5 billion dual carriage defacing and badly damaging it.
In well-choreographed attacks, the vandals have slowly removed metal barriers on the road increasing the risk to users.
The vandals in the area have ripped apart the road infrastructure that ensures safety during the night. They have taken guardrails, concrete slabs, lamp holders, road barriers, and other metal parts on the road.
Notably, the most affected area is the North Airport stretch, that runs from City Cabanas and joins Outer Ring at the Taj Mall roundabout.
"The vandalism has been extreme in the recent month," Sammy Kere, a concerned Kenyans living near the road stated.
"A month ago I noticed the lights were missing then I started to note the concrete slabs have been stolen," another resident," Charles Anunda reiterated.
The residents have called for relevant authorities to take up the matter and make repairs to the 13 Km road opened by retired president Uhuru Kenyatta in 2015.
However, they were concerned about the cost of the repairs needed noting that taxpayers will have to dig deeper to fund the project.
"As citizens eventually we are the ones paying the price, the government will have to restore the road using funds diverted from another project or increasing taxes,” Kere added.
Matatu operators on the other hand held that the vandalism has hindered their operations at night, the roads are reportedly pitch black.
"It is risky to cross the roads now, goons in the area have taken advantage of the stolen streetlights to steal from people," a tout lamented.
Furthermore, the rubble from the concrete slabs clogged the drainage system.
The Kenya Urban Road Authority (KURA) however did not comment on the reported theft of road infrastructure.
Notably, the outgoing Transport and Infrastructure Cabinet Secretary James Macharia on July 16, noted the government was working to address the design flaws on the road.
"The solution to it, we shall put barriers where nobody can actually cross the road from an undesignated point. Pedestrians will have to save their lives by walking over 40 meters," he stated.
