Pressure Piles on Murkomen as Rains Expose Mombasa Road Flaws

Photo collage of a section of Mombasa Road along General Motors flooded and Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen
Photo collage of a section of Mombasa Road along General Motors flooded and Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen.
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Ma3Route/ Kipchumba Murkomen

Pedestrians, motorists and other stakeholders on Thursday, March 23, implored Transport Cabinet Secretary Kichumba Murkomen to address design flaws on Mombasa Road and other highways in the city.

Aggrieved road users reached out to the CS after overnight rains exposed inadequate drainage systems and pathways.

Affected motorists lamented that the main road around General Motors (GM) was flooded compelling them to use the service lane.

On the other side, pedestrians were forced to walk barefoot as rainwater covered designated footpaths and crossing areas.

General Motors areas flooded following overnight rain on Thursday March 23, 2023
General Motors areas flooded following overnight rain on Thursday, March 23, 2023.
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Ma3Route

The location of a footbridge around General Motors was also put on the spot because it failed to serve its purpose due to flooding shortly after the rain.  The area had been rehabilitated by setting up a roundabout after the completion of the Nairobi Expressway.

Flooding affected traffic flow along Mombasa Road, with other drivers resolving to use the elevated highway running from Mlolongo to James Gichuru Road.

Following the exposure, residents appealed to Murkomen and the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) to fix the drainage system, repair pathways and footbridges along the road.

"CS Kipchumba Murkomen, this is general motors after rains. The old Mombasa road is messy and something needs to be done about it," an aggrieved road user wrote.

"This is very shameful and inhuman too. Old Mombasa road must be done as soon as possible. Pedestrians don’t have anywhere to walk," another pedestrian corroborated, appealing to President William Ruto and his Deputy Rigathi Gachagua to also intervene.

Areas around Chiromo on Waiyaki Way also experienced flooding affecting traffic flow in the entire city. Other areas affected by floods as a result of the heavy downpour included Thika Road and Jogoo Road.

Their plea came days after Murkomen revealed the rehabilitation of Waiyaki Way, Uhuru Highway, and Mombasa Road would be completed by March 2024.

The Transport CS assured Kenyans that all roads under the expressway will be upgraded to international standards to avoid rampant motorist complaints.

In November 2022, the government announced plans to allocate Ksh9 billion to rehabilitate the Mombasa road and other areas affected by the Nairobi Expressway construction.

Three footbridges along Mombasa Road were listed as part of the rehabilitation programme.

Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen speaking at an event on December 6, 2022.
Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen speaking at an event on December 6, 2022.
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Kipchumba Murkomen