County to address ‘freak accidents’ in Migori town

Migori, Wednesday, May 17, 2023

KNA by Obuoyo Michael/George Agimba

Migori County government is working on modalities to devise a strategic approach to decongest the towns’ Central Business District (CBD) to avert recurrence of perennial fatal accidents witnessed in recent times.

Among the top measures on the list is the adoption of a favourable specified speed limit to control vehicles speeding into the town centre and, mounting of road signs along the highway entering the town.

County Executive Committee (CEC) member for Physical Planning, Housing and Urban development Mr John Kobado disclosed this during a town cleaning exercise conducted by members of Migori town municipal board.

According to Mr Kobado, the move will ensure that speed was restricted within the than 50 km/h mark and the road signs will guide motorists on how to navigate through the town without causing accidents to both pedestrians and traders in the town.

“We have devised various strategies and approaches that we want to put into action immediately to help curb these endless disturbing accidents in this town,” said Kobado.

He urged motorists and especially those driving through the CBD to strictly adhere to all traffic rules place and observe road signs that will be strategically placed to guide them during their travels.

He disclosed that the County government plans to build a modern bridge over the Migori River connecting the Kisii-Isbania route to Ombo modern market as a step to help further decongest the town by transferring more traders to the town's periphery modern market.

During the exercise titled ‘clean and safe environment for all urban dwellers’, Migori County CEC member for Roads, Transport and Public Works Mr John Oringo said they have also proposed a new parking layout plan for private automobiles in town.

According to the plan, a new parking layout for private automobiles will be placed within the town centre.

Oringo added that the bodaboda operators will also be banned from picking and dropping passengers within the town, adding that the trend has been blamed for the heavy traffic snarl up in the town.

Migori town Municipal chair Mr Robert Mandela, called upon motorists, boda boda operators and pedestrians to support the efforts to bring traffic sanity back in the town, which will at the end be beneficial to them.

“We want all the road users to come on board to help save lives and property within this town,” he said

The county’s move to decongest the town and promote safe road usage comes after a series of road accidents that have claimed lives of at least 10 people within the town CBD in a span of less than a month.

On April 10, this year, eleven people died and scores other injured when a lorry ploughed into a crowd of town revelers, parked motor vehicles and motorcycles after it lost its brakes.

Less than a fortnight later, a lorry ferrying sand killed three people and injured a dozen others when it rolled within the town CBD after the brakes failed.

Courtesy; K.N.A