The dangerous road has been nicknamed ‘highway to hell’
The name ‘Salgaa’ evokes a lot of sad memories owing to its reputation as one of the most deadly black spots in Kenya.
As you drive along the 12km stretch from Kibunja to Salgaa trading centres, on the Eldoret-Nairobi highway, broken glasses and mangled vehicle parts dot the road — a testament to the ugly accidents, which have claimed many lives.
“The name Salgaa is derived from the Kipsigis words ‘sal’, which means to praise, and ‘gaa’ meaning home. Salgaa therefore means praising one’s home,” said Richard Kipsang, a resident.
However, there’s nothing worthy of praise here. Apart from the many road crashes, Salgaa has attracted lots of negative publicity owing to the rampant prostitution and high HIV/Aids prevalence.
It is estimated that more than 500 trucks stop in Salgaa every night, making it a very attractive destination for twilight girls.
Whether it is the thriving sex trade, oil siphoning, deadly road crashes or scores of youth stealing from accident victims, Salgaa has seen it all.
Highway robbers normally climb slow-moving trucks tearing tarpaulins and offloading goods from them.
However, what is worrying many residents is the accident black spot.
As Kenyans were ushering in the New Year, five schoolboys were killed at the scene after a night of clubbing. A day later, another saloon car was smashed by a bus killing three people.
On May 11, 2014, Kenyans woke up to a black Sunday after 10 people were killed at the black spot when a trailer rammed into six vehicles. Other passengers were seriously injured with many being disabled.
Three weeks after the accident, blood was spilled again. A lorry crashed four people in a saloon car, travelling for a burial in Murang’a.
But no day has been darker than January 31, 2009. More than 100 people were killed in the area when they rushed to scoop unleaded petrol after a tanker overturned.
Several factors have been blamed for the many accidents in the area, ranging from the sharp corners, foggy weather to the speeding trailers freewheeling along the stretch.
Uproar from Kenyans forced authorities to act. Speed restrictions were put in place, freewheeling was banned and a litany of road signs warning drivers of the lurking dangers were erected on the road.
However, all those measures seemed to have failed. Residents are now seeking divine intervention. “This area is demon-possessed. The stretch has claimed many lives and left many others injured. The highway needs prayers,” said Mary Kuria.
However, Rift Valley Regional Traffic Enforcement Officer Mary Omari said carelessness and overtaking in dangerous places are the major causes of accidents along the highway.
“Ninety per cent of accidents along the stretch have been due to human error — reckless driving, overtaking and driving while drunk,” Omari said.
She added that the ban against freewheeling has reduced the number of accidents in the area, in particular those involving trucks.
Area OCPD Joseph Mwamburi said due to the nature of the stretch, when brakes fail, it’s hard to veer safely off the road.
“The stretch is a black spot which has claimed many lives. However, the statistics have gone down since NTSA [National Transport and Safety Authority]erected bumps and deployed speed patrol vehicles,” Mwamburi said.
Nakuru county Roads, Public Works and Transport executive Joel Maina said we need long-term solutions to arrest the rampant accidents in the area. “The stretch needs to be re-designed because the earlier design did not address the issue of heavy trucks descending,” Maina said.
“The elevated sections of the road make it impossible for any car to park on the side of the road when it develops mechanical problems. Veering off the road automatically causes the car to overturn. As a temporary measure, sandbanks can be put in place,” he suggested.
“NTSA, in collaboration with Kenha [Kenya National Highways Authority], should have a long lasting solution like construction of a dual carriage to divert heavy loaded vehicles. Signage, warning and instructional signs, enhancement of speed cameras and patrol cars and an extra climbing lane can help,” Maina said.
NTSA chairman Lee Kinyanjui said a parking bay, projected to have a capacity of 200 lorries, was to be constructed last year did not start due to differences between local leaders and area residents.
“The multimillion-shilling lorry parking bay was to be constructed by Kenha in conjunction with the Nakuru county government and other funders but it could not start due to disagreement about where it was to be constructed,” Kinyanjui said.
“The parking bay was to specifically accommodate tankers in order to avoid the current congestion at Salgaa trading centre and reduce the risk of members of the public being exposed to fire if there is an accident,” he said.
He said area leaders should stop politicising the project because the construction of a lorry park under the defunct Nakuru county council also stalled due to politics.
“The way tankers are parked at Salgaa cannot be allowed to continue as the parking bay is located close to residential areas,” he said.
Kinyanjui also urged the relevant authorities to curb the sprouting of many entertainment joints at the Salgaa trading centre.
Echoing Maina’s sentiments, Kinyanjui said reckless driving and driving under the influence of alcohol contribute greatly to the accidents in the area.
“Accidents along the stretch are caused by ignorant drivers who use the climbing lane while descending from Kibunja trading centre. Reckless driving and overtaking, driving under the influence of alcohol are some of the major causes of accidents in the area,” he said.
Kinyanjui, however, said accidents involving trucks had decreased following speed control measures introduced by the authority. “It is worth noting that in the past, accidents were caused by trucks rolling down the escarpment and hitting the climbing vehicles. This has been reduced remarkably after the speed mitigation measures we undertook,” he said.
“We shall continue to enforce speed limits while at the same time look for long term solutions like expanding the roads,” he said.
Kinyanjui warned drivers freewheeling in the area that they will not only be charged but would have their licenses cancelled, in accordance with the Traffic Act.
“For those who freewheel, there will be an immediate revocation of their licences and this will apply to all drivers. Reckless driving on our roads will no longer be tolerated,” he said.
