[kictanet] DEADLY THIKA ROAD - WHO IS LISTENING?

Mon Apr 23 13:17:27 EAT 2012

Now we are talking @ Wash that is the power of KiCTANET, Oloo Khisa is
a member of this list and he has done the right thing, i hope Engineer
Kidenda is enlisted and responds accordingly, it would also be nice to
hear from Mugo since he is responsible for vision 2030.

On 4/23/12, Odhiambo Washington <odhiambo at gmail.com> wrote:
> @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.
>

-- 
Barrack O. Otieno
+254721325277
+254-20-2498789
Skype: barrack.otieno
http://www.otienobarrack.me.ke/