Vandalism of road signs along Nakuru-Eldoret highway a headache for KeNHA, Police
Some of the metalic road signages installed by KeNHA along the Nakuru-Eldoret highway.
Road infrastructure plays a crucial role in ensuring the safety, efficiency, and smooth traffic flow on our roads.
Unfortunately, metal signages and other road infrastructure along the Salgaa- Sachangwan route remain vandalized and stolen, an action that has been blamed on the increasing number of youth in the area.
“Over the years the number of youth has increased in number and many just sit around waiting like hyenas for a vehicle to fall so they can steal from it. This has escalated and now they’ve started stealing road signs made of metal and sell to the highest bidders,” Molo Sub-County Police Commander, Timon Odingo, says frustratingly.
“We urge the youth to stop this. Any road infrastructure stolen or tampered with endangers the lives of many people. This is illegal and puts everyone using the road at risk. We ask the community to be vigilant and report such activities to the authorities,” Odingo stresses.
On their part, the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) says that despite enough signages, not only at Migaa but other sections prone to runaway vehicles, many have been stolen.
“Over time, we have seen that many signs we have placed on this road have been stolen. We have tried to keep up with the speed with which they are stolen and it's no longer tenable to the economy,” says Eng. Kibet Tirgen, the Corridor Director for Corridor Management B at KeNHA.
He adds that they have seen other people who at night steal the gravel on the runaway trump which expose the vehicles because it changes the design the way it was done.
“People living around these areas, you are the people most affected when accidents occur. We are asking you to be vigilant so that we protect the signs. One sign stolen could save so many lives. As an authority, we request everybody including enforcement agencies to make sure that the signs we place especially on these dangerous black spot areas are maintained and help to serve the purpose with which they were placed on the road,” says Eng. Tirgen.