A young man was killed on the Thika Road Superhighway after reportedly crossing below a footbridge, prompting Geoffrey Mosiria to renew calls for pedestrians to use designated crossing points.
A young man was killed along the Thika Road Superhighway on Tuesday night after he was reportedly hit by a vehicle while attempting to cross the busy highway below a pedestrian footbridge.
According to Nairobi County Chief Officer for Environment Geoffrey Mosiria, the incident happened at around 9pm, with the man choosing to cross the highway rather than use the nearby footbridge.
Mosiria said the decision ended tragically, describing the incident as another painful reminder of the dangers pedestrians face when crossing major highways at undesignated points.
“Please use the footbridges. A few extra minutes can save your life,” Mosiria said.
Mosiria recalls previous pedestrian arrests
The incident has also prompted Mosiria to revisit his earlier efforts to discourage pedestrians from crossing highways at undesignated points.
He said some pedestrians had previously been arrested for crossing roads illegally and were given an alternative corrective measure after asking for a lighter punishment.
According to Mosiria, the individuals were allowed to pick garbage as a form of corrective action and as a warning to others about the consequences of violating road safety rules.
He now says the latest death underscores why such enforcement measures were necessary.
‘Was it harassment to ask people to use a footbridge?’
Mosiria also addressed the criticism he faced following the earlier enforcement exercise.
He claimed that some bloggers attacked him on social media over the arrests, accusing him of harassing pedestrians and calling for action against him.
He further alleged that some individuals encouraged Kenyans to continue crossing busy roads instead of using footbridges.
Following Tuesday night’s fatal incident, Mosiria questioned whether his earlier warnings had really amounted to harassment.
“Was it harassment to ask people to use a footbridge and save their lives?” he asked.
Mosiria vows continued enforcement
Mosiria called on Nairobi residents and other Kenyans to support efforts aimed at making roads safer, arguing that pedestrian safety should not become a political issue.
He said authorities would continue enforcing the law against people who cross highways at undesignated points.
“Those found violating the law will be arrested and taken to court to face the full force of the law,” Mosiria warned.
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He also urged pedestrians to work with authorities by using footbridges and designated crossing points, particularly along busy highways such as Thika Road.
The latest death has once again highlighted the dangers pedestrians face when attempting to cross high-speed roads without using designated facilities.
For many motorists and pedestrians, the message from the tragedy is simple: saving a few minutes is never worth risking a life.
