For the last two elective terms in Kenya, re-engineering of Nithi bridge has been used increasingly by politicians in Tharaka-Nithi County ahead of elections, to make unrealistic and unattainable promises in order to get their votes.
In his last visit to the county ahead of the August 2022 polls, UDA presidential aspirant William Ruto on Thursday promised re-engineering of the bridge in the first 6 months if elected to office, saying the bridge was a threat to travelers along the Meru-Nairobi highway.
“In our first 6 months in government as Kenya Kwanza, we will have plans in place to re-engineer and relocate Nithi bridge which is a threat to the lives of travelers using the Meru-Nairobi route” – DP William Ruto
Incumbent Governor Muthomi Njuki while requesting action from his party leader noted that the bridge had claimed the lives of close to 2000 Kenyans, blaming corruption for the poor and dangerous bridge design.
In 2017, Governor Muthomi Njuki in his 12-point 100 days in office as governor promises had vowed to launch an initiative to re-engineer the bridge, which is a black spot to save lives. The promise which was fourth in his agenda remains unfulfilled, with the latest accident involving a Modern Coast bus claiming 36 lives.
In 2018, Mr. Njuki in an interview said there was need to avoid the steep slope towards the bridge, adding that land needed to be bought and farmers compensated for the erection of straight pillars from Mitheru. The option of redirecting the road was also suggested in his plans.
Senatorial aspirant and the first governor of Tharaka Nithi County Samwel Mbae Ragwa in 2021 called on the County Security Committee to assemble stakeholders and leaders to address an alternative route, proposing a one-way route for heavy commercial vehicles from Kajiunduthi to Marima. Mr. Ragwa insisted that the construction of another bridge would be a costly affair that would take ages.
“This bridge has been the talk of town for the last two years. Every time we have repairs done on the bridge after an accident, vehicles still lose control and plunge into the river. We have lost many lives and this is now a security risk” – Mr. Ragwa
Gubernatorial hopeful in the 2022 August polls Prof. Erastus Njoka while condoling with the families of the 35 crash victims called upon road users to be extra careful and appealed to all stakeholders to find ways of resolving the problems associated with the bridge once and for all.
In a statement on the tragic Nithi accident, Jubilee senatorial aspirant Paul Mugambi said the government should take measures that genuinely cub the further loss of lives on the bridge, adding that if elected senator he would pursue policies that help protect lives and increase safety of the people on the road.
In 2021, Tharaka Nithi played host to the Regional World Day of Remembrance, an event in remembrance of road crash victims observed worldwide every November, where Tharaka Nithi County Government, National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA), Kenya Red Cross and Chuka University partnered in paying homage to victims of road carnage with a walk to Nithi Bridge.
During the event, Tharaka Nithi CECM for Roads and Infrastructure Eng. Julius Kijiru Giti noted that the proposal to re-engineer Nithi bridge was and re-align it to reduce curvature as well as the slope to make the road safer was a costly solution.
As at November last year, Tharaka Nithi County had recorded a total of 95 incidents of road accidents, 17 being fatal, 34 serious incidents and 44 slight injuries.
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