By; Mgandi Ngala
The Saturday night Kibarani accident has sent the transport sector along Mombasa Nairobi highway to a total paralysis.
The wagon train that overtuned at Kibarani, a major hotspot along the Mombasa -Nairobi highway was transporting a total of 250, 000 litres of super petrol from Mombasa to Nairobi.
The situation forced security agents and disaster management team from Mombasa County, the Port of Mombasa and the Kenya Red Cross team close Kibarani road that connects Mombasa Island with Nairobi, Rwanda, Uganda, Burundi among other East Africa countries to avoid major disaster.
The wagons which fell along the highway and off shores of the Indian Ocean as well were leaking, forcing the safety team to take precautions to avoid deaths and destruction.
Mombasa Police County Commander Johnstone Ipara said that police had to take such measures so as to protect the lives of passenger, locals and motorists using the highway.
“We understand what motorists, passengers and locals feel about the Saturday night throughout Sunday transport paralysis along the Mombasa Nairobi highway but please persevere it is for your own safety,” he noted.
He said that operations to removes the wagons from the road were underway for the better part of Sunday and a cleanup exercise would follow later in the afternoon before the roads are reopened for normal transport operations.
On his part Sylvanus Mwambeu from the Mombasa County disaster preparedness and management department admitted that the situation has affected various transport and economic sectors Countywide.
“Most passengers scheduled to travel with the SGR were left stranded at around 5 am today as well as many passengers from Mombasa to Nairobi and vice – versa, but the situation will return to normalcy,” he said.
A local, Alfred Wafula scoffed at the police for not opening up alternative Mombasa port route that connects Changamwe, through Kipevu road, the port of Mombasa through Shimanzi and Moi avenue areas within Mombasa island.
