- Eldoret local urges KENHA to restrict trucks from entering the town centre.
- Petition highlights rising road safety concerns linked to heavy-duty vehicles.
- A fatal accident involving a truck and boda boda triggered fresh fears.
- The Southern Bypass, designed for such traffic, remains underused.
- Concerns raised include congestion, pollution, and road damage.
An Eldoret resident has raised the red flag over the increasing presence of long-distance trailers snaking through the heart of the town. In a petition addressed to the Kenya National Highways Authority (KENHA), Albert Kimutai urged immediate action to redirect these heavy vehicles to the Eldoret Southern Bypass, a road specifically built to ease town centre pressure.
Kimutai decried the ongoing use of Eldoret’s central roads by massive trucks, arguing that the situation is spiraling into a serious safety hazard for locals.
The call for change follows a recent tragedy involving a truck and a motorcycle that claimed the life of a passenger. Kimutai described the accident as heart-wrenching, saying it exposed the larger issue of urban roads being misused by long-haul freight traffic.
“These streets weren’t meant to handle such massive cargo vehicles,” he stated, pointing out how infrastructure strain and increased risks to other road users are now unavoidable realities.
Beyond the fatal crash, Kimutai’s letter touched on deeper concerns: worsening traffic jams, particularly on Uganda Road, faster road damage, noise disruptions near schools, and a rise in air pollution affecting residential areas.
He insisted that the Southern Bypass, which has remained underutilised by truckers, offers a practical and safer solution if properly enforced.
This petition adds weight to a growing chorus of voices pushing for stricter transport policies in Kenyan towns. As urban centres like Eldoret expand, residents are demanding a balance between infrastructure development and public safety—calling on authorities like KENHA to step up and enforce existing road usage regulations.
