Survivor’s Story Sheds Light on Nithi Bridge’s Deadly Legacy and Urgent Call for Safety Overhaul
At the slopes of River Nithi, near the infamous Nithi Bridge along the Meru-Nairobi highway, a tragic event occurred at around 11 am on April 7th that still haunts Linet Gakeni three months later.
Gakeni was on her way back to work in Thika from Kiengu in Igembe (Meru County) when the Kensilver Bus she was traveling in experienced a grisly accident after its brakes failed. Recounting the ordeal, Gakeni mentioned that the bus had nearly experienced brake failures thrice during the journey.
This time, however, panic ensued as the passengers screamed and cried for help before they were all trapped inside the wrecked bus. The accident claimed four lives.
Despite seeing others save themselves, Gakeni couldn’t move. Rescuers pulled her out and took her to Chogoria Hospital, where she has been recovering ever since. The bus, registration number KBN 309F, was en route from Maua to Nairobi with 39 passengers at the time of the accident.
Gakeni awoke in a hospital ward around 9 pm, unaware of her surroundings until the following Monday. She suffered severe injuries to her thigh and waist, requiring multiple surgeries and skin grafting.
Ruth, the nurse in charge of her care, reported that Gakeni was in critical condition initially but is now out of danger and healing well, ready to go home. However, her hospital bill has soared to Ksh 700,000, exhausting her family’s finances. The Igembe Youth Association has stepped in to help raise funds for her hospital discharge.
Gakeni and the youth association are appealing to well-wishers for additional support. Concurrently, they urge the government to expedite plans to reengineer the killer route, calling it a death trap. Proposals under consideration include upgrading the Old Marima Road, constructing a new bridge, and reshaping the existing one to eliminate sharp curves.
The Nithi Bridge, constructed in 1983, has a notorious history of tragic incidents due to its hazardous design. KeNHA has emphasized the urgent need to redesign the bridge to prevent further accidents.
Past tragedies include a fatal incident in August 2000 that claimed 45 lives and injured 27, and another in 1998 that resulted in the deaths of 56 people on a Stage Coach bus. The 50-meter bridge, notorious for its sharp bends and limited visibility, has become a black spot due to the surrounding mountainous terrain between Marima and Mitheru markets.
During the 2022 election campaign, President William Ruto pledged to revamp the bridge following a Modern Coast bus accident on July 24, 2022, which killed 36 people and injured 9 others.
