Many Kenyans erect unauthorised road bumps on roads to tame speeding by motorists.
This trend is especially rampant on busy highways or feeder roads mostly found in estates and residential places.
While the bumps are in most cases erected in good faith, they can land someone in jail due to contravention of Kenya Roads Act No 2 of 2007 (revised in 2012) and Kenya Bureau of Standards section KS 774:2000.
According to the Kenya Roads Act, the mandate of erecting speed bumps is vested with the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA).
“No person or body may do any of the following things without the responsible Authority’s written permission or contrary to such permission erect, construct or lay, or establish any structure or other thing, on or over or below the surface of a road reserve or land in a building restricted area,” the Act states in part.
Further, the Act prohibits making any structural alteration or addition to a structure or that other thing situated on or over, or below the surface of a road or road reserve or land in a building restriction area.
Under specific circumstances, the Act states that KeNHA can have someone erect speed bumps on its behalf.
“When giving permission the Authority may prescribe the specifications with which the bumps for which permission is requested must comply,” the Act reads in part.
The specifications are outlined under KEBS section KS 774:2000 which state that the legal limit for the height of a speed bump is 10 centimetres.
According to KEBS, the bumps also should be at least 40 times their peak height and there should be at least 100 metres before the first bump and after the last bump.
If you erect an illegal speed bump, KeNHA may by notice in writing direct that person to remove the structure within a reasonable period which shall be stated in the notice but which may not be shorter than thirty days calculated from the date of the notice.
In case the person fails to remove the bumps, KeNHA will undertake the operation and recover the cost of the removal from that person.
“A person who contravenes the set rules commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a term of imprisonment not exceeding one year or to a fine not exceeding one hundred thousand shillings, or to both,” the Act stipulates the punishment for erecting illegal speed bumps.
