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Jogoo Road worst for death of pedestrians


Jogoo Road leads in the number of pedestrians deaths in Nairobi with 30 per cent, the Traffic Department has revealed.

The stretch between Rikana Supermarket and the City Stadium roundabout is deadliest, according to the Nairobi County Traffic Commandant, Edward Mwamburi.

More than to accidents resulting to five deaths were reported every week, he said.

Overal, there were more than 1,300 recorded accidents in Nairobi in 2013. Of these, 70 per cent involved pedestrians and 368 of them died.

Both sides

“We assume the accidents on Jogoo Road are more because on the both sides there are residential houses and people, including children move a lot in the area,” Mr Mwamburi said. 

The Jua Kali market near Shauri Moyo and the closeness of businesses to the road also fueled accidents, the commandant said. Most of them happen between 1:00pm and 10:00pm.

Thika Superhighway and Waiyaki Way also record a high number of pedestrian deaths.

“The most interesting thing is that most of the time, people are knocked down just under footbridges,” he said. 

In areas like Muthaiga drift, Roysambu, Makadara and the City Stadium, pedestrians rarely used foot bridges, Mr Mwamburi said. 

“Footbridges in those areas were designed to accomodate even the old and people on wheelchairs, but they rarely use them,” he added. 

However some pedestrians said the bad poor conditions of most footbridges kept them from using them.

“Some do not have security lights, others are dirty with human waste,” Evans Okeyo said.