[kictanet] DEADLY THIKA ROAD - WHO IS LISTENING?

Odhiambo Washington odhiambo at gmail.com
Mon Apr 23 13:08:03 EAT 2012


@Barrack,

In that case, I would also like to request Mugo Kibati to intercede with
City Council so that they can "properly" fix the road damage between
Integrity Centre and the junction to State Hse. I am sure most people know
the place.
What I am saying is that we should find ways to make the people responsible
to handle their responsibilities first hand.

Like Oloo Khisa has done, he has copied Engineer Kidenda (dg at kenha.co.ke)
in his e-mail. We are hoping that he will respond to that. For me, that is
the first step. The second step would not be to call him, but rather find a
way to highlight the issue through one of the many Radio Stations. That way
I will be calling upon many citizen (not just the few on KICTANet) to arise
and hold him to account.

There must be a way, if he ignores the e-mails. There are some offials who
leave the handling of their e-mails to their PAs, who easily delete such
messages or simply don't attach any importance to them, because they take
some of those as "business as usual cases".


On Mon, Apr 23, 2012 at 12:51, Barrack Otieno <otieno.barrack at gmail.com>wrote:

> Well @ Wash,
>
> Transport is also part and parcel of ICT's, you will find Vision 2030
> signboards besides this superhighway that is now claiming lives. Let us not
> forget that his excellency the president has been at the forefront warning
> citizens to be carefull while using the new infrastructure. That said i
> would also take up this matter with Mugo Kibati and take sides with Edith,
> at least something might be done since he seems passionate about taking
> this country to the next level, this KURA and Ministry of roads people are
> simply not serious, i say this because a couple of weeks ago a contractor
> dug up patches on Lang'ata road and left them unattended for a week, you
> should have seen the way folks were bumping into each other at night while
> swerving to avoid those potholes, a couple of weeks ago i landed into a
> manhole right in the centre of Kisii town one of the most productive
> towns in the country and had to pay 7 guys to lift my car out of it, why
> do we entertain such mediocrity while we are paying contractors and
> engineers billions of taxpayers money, recently there was a case of an
> esteemed Kenyan who had a terrible accident on the same superhighway
> occassioned by boulders that were used to block the road, he  sued the
> contractor for a tidy sum because he knew what to do what about the other
> Kenyans who don't have such knowledge? if KicTANET is effective then we
> will use it to get the point home and wake up those sleeping officers,
> bwana Kibati with this madness we need to add
> another ten years to vision 2030.
>
> On 4/23/12, Odhiambo Washington <odhiambo at gmail.com> wrote:
> > On Mon, Apr 23, 2012 at 11:35, Edith Adera <eadera at idrc.or.ke> wrote:
> >
> >> Listers,****
> >>
> >> ** **
> >>
> >> One may ask, why talk about roads on an ICT list? As a vision 2030
> project
> >> like Konza City, I thought it’s important to bring to our attention the
> >> dangers of cutting corners…I hope this will NOT happen with Konza
> city.***
> >> *
> >>
> >> ** **
> >>
> >> *I would like to address this note to Mugo Kibati as Director of
> V2030.***
> >>
> >> ** **
> >>
> >> On Friday, amidst the pounding rain, I ventured out on Thika road (for
> the
> >> first time, since the super highway was done)….I’ve been avoiding the
> road
> >> like a plague given the grisly stories I hear about thika road. But this
> >> time, it was out of necessity.****
> >>
> >> ** **
> >>
> >> I’ve seen the dazzling roads of south Africa, Dubai, the US, Japan…you
> >> name it….so in my mind I thought a “slip road” would be the standard
> slip
> >> road it ought to be; sign boards would be clear so I know where to go
> and
> >> when to turn off; and that I should NOT expect (NEVER) to find a speed
> >> bump
> >> smack right in the middle of the highway when I’ve hit 100+km per hour
> and
> >> enjoying the cruise.  ****
> >>
> >> ** **
> >>
> >> We appreciate the development (one should not question that), but can we
> >> do things with excellence?****
> >>
> >> ** **
> >>
> >> First, I was on a lane around Parklands heading towards Thika, when
> >> suddenly I noticed on-coming cars flashing, warning me that while I was
> >> right to use that lane as a short diversion, I had missed an opening
> that
> >> should have taken me back to the right lane! I promptly took the next
> left
> >> turning to get back to the right lane, luckily I was driving at snail
> >> speed. The next encounter was when I suddenly came across a notice board
> >> indicating that the road was closed, but it was not clear which one –
> the
> >> one ahead or the one to my right…my sixth sense suggested a take the
> road
> >> on the right, when I did, it happened to be the right one, but yet
> again,
> >> there were cars coming from the right side of that road from behind me
> and
> >> a had a near miss with a speeding country bus…and you know how they
> zoom!
> >>  (I understand later another car did not know which route to take at
> this
> >> same spot and crashed the barriers at high speed and the driver was
> >> removed
> >> from his car unconscious! possibly dead!). My next headache was to find
> >> out
> >> which slip road to take off Thika road to my destination – I have never
> >> seen 90o slip roads….the standard from my lay knowledge is that they are
> >> around 350 - 45o – Thika road has 90o slip roads!!! – how do you do that
> >> from a highway! Finally, on my way back, I had to make some maneuvers
> >> below
> >> a bridge to get back onto the road coming back to Nairobi (with huge
> >> concrete walls on the side so you can’t see other cars coming from all
> >> directions) – I’ve never seen interchanges under a bridge with blind
> spots
> >> and cars coming in all directions!****
> >>
> >> ** **
> >>
> >> Thika road is a death trap and needs to be sorted out as soon as
> possible.
> >>  ****
> >>
> >> ** **
> >>
> >> *Summary*
> >>
> >> ** **
> >>
> >> **1.       **The slips roads need to be made proper slip roads with
> clear
> >> signs****
> >>
> >> **2.       **The bumps on the highways should be removed and foot
> bridges
> >> constructed for pedestrians ****
> >>
> >> **3.       **The interchanges, need to be rectified and ensure people
> >> moving in different directions do so without meeting cars coming in the
> >> opposite directions (at a blind spot with concrete walls – the Museum
> area
> >> is a classic example) – do 2-3 layers of road  even consider underground
> >> passages, but for heavens sake don’t let ongoing cars meet under a
> bridge
> >> with blind spots. ****
> >>
> >> **4.       **Have proper legible sign boards erected urgently.****
> >>
> >> ** **
> >>
> >> While the road is under construction and one can dismiss issues raised
> >> about Thika road indicating that diversions are just temporary, the main
> >> point of my intervention is with the design and its usability in a safe
> >> manner. The fact is that Thika road is not safe as it’s currently
> designed
> >> – it does not give the impression that it was done by those who have
> done
> >> the roads we see in other countries that work.****
> >>
> >> ** **
> >>
> >> Mugo, I look forward to hearing from you and trust that you will have
> >> discussions with your counterparts at the Ministry of Roads so Kenyans
> >> know
> >> that something will be done about Thika Road. It is sad that while many
> >> Kenyans have complained about this road among themselves, we do not have
> >> forums to bring this to the attention of the decision-makers. This is my
> >> attempt and I believe we will hear from you.****
> >>
> >> ** **
> >>
> >> Lets design and implement Konza differently….we must never compromise on
> >> standards. ****
> >>
> >> ** **
> >>
> >> Edith (personal opinion)****
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >
> > Edith,
> >
> > If you need accountability, I humbly suggest you make that a personal
> > responsibility. I do agree with you that Thika Rd requires signs to be
> put
> > in place - both directional as well as speed signs. I drove on a very
> small
> > part of Thika Rd yesterday and I could help cursing on the lack of
> > directional signs. However, I do not agree with you that you can pass
> this
> > over to Mugo Kibati to address on your behalf. That sounds a bit elitist.
> > How about those Kenyans who don't know Mugo Kibati? I am surprised at how
> > easily you've jumped from addressing the problem with Thika Rd onto
> Konza:-)
> >
> > I know (via the media) the pressure that was put on the construction
> > company to complete the superhighway and open it up for use by a certain
> > date. We all know you cannot rush certain projects this way and still
> have
> > the work completed satisfactorily. Who should we hold to account then? I
> > believe it's someone called the Chief Engineer of Roads, whose salary is
> > drawn from out taxes or better still, take the political angle and seek
> out
> > the Minister for Roads. Unfortunately, most govt websites went down and
> > haven't been revived, even spinsman Mutua's! You need to find a way to
> get
> > phone numbers or walk to the Ministry HQs and seek an appointment with
> > either of those two officers.
> >
> > As Kenyans, we always let ourselves down by assuming someone else will
> > address our problems. Tuajibike!
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > Best regards,
> > Odhiambo WASHINGTON,
> > Nairobi,KE
> > +254733744121/+254722743223
> > _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
> > I can't hear you -- I'm using the scrambler.
> > Please consider the environment before printing this email.
> >
>
>
> --
> Barrack O. Otieno
> +254721325277
> +254-20-2498789
> Skype: barrack.otieno
> http://www.otienobarrack.me.ke/
>



-- 
Best regards,
Odhiambo WASHINGTON,
Nairobi,KE
+254733744121/+254722743223
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
I can't hear you -- I'm using the scrambler.
Please consider the environment before printing this email.
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