NAIROBI, Kenya — The Motorists Association of Kenya (MAK) has urged the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) to urgently construct a concrete median on the Southern Bypass, warning that the highway has become a dangerous accident hotspot due to the absence of a physical barrier separating opposing traffic.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the association accused KeNHA of recklessness for approving completion of the bypass without a median, arguing that the omission has exposed motorists to frequent head-on collisions on a high-speed dual carriageway.
“The failure to install a concrete median on the Southern Bypass has turned this critical highway into a hotspot for deadly head-on collisions,” MAK said. “Those responsible for approving the completion certificate must be held accountable for this glaring oversight.”
The association said the lack of a median allows vehicles to cross into oncoming lanes and encourages illegal turns and U-turns, significantly increasing the risk of fatal crashes.
MAK warned that unless urgent corrective action is taken, more lives will be lost, adding that it would hold KeNHA fully responsible for accidents linked to the design flaw.
The group drew parallels with the 2016 Karai tragedy, where at least 40 people died after a bus hit a poorly marked speed bump along the Naivasha highway, arguing that critical lessons on road safety design appear to have been ignored.
“The Karai accident should have been a turning point in how roads are designed and approved in this country. Sadly, it seems nothing was learnt,” the association said.
The renewed calls follow a serious accident on January 24 near the Lang’ata underpass, close to Wilson Airport and the Carnivore Restaurant. A fuel tanker travelling towards Kikuyu reportedly lost control after hitting a pavement, collided with a lorry and overturned onto the road below.
The tanker burst into flames, triggering a fire that engulfed several vehicles and damaged at least three cars parked at a nearby car wash. No fatalities were reported, but the incident caused major traffic disruption and renewed scrutiny of safety measures along the bypass.
Traffic police from Lang’ata temporarily sealed off the affected section, while KeNHA closed the Southern Bypass in the Mombasa Road direction and diverted vehicles through Lang’ata Road. Emergency crews battled the fire as debris was cleared, with the road later partially reopened after safety checks.
The Southern Bypass is a key transport corridor linking Mombasa Road, Lang’ata Road, Ngong Road, and Waiyaki Way, and is designed to ease congestion in Nairobi by allowing through traffic to avoid the central business district.
Road safety experts have previously warned that high-speed urban bypasses require continuous physical separation of traffic lanes, clear signage, and strict access control to minimise accidents.
KeNHA had not responded publicly to the Motorists Association’s demands by the time of publication.
