This archive report was first published on 29 June 2021.
As the Nairobi Expressway takes shape, road users are left frustrated with the resulting traffic jams and gridlocks on Waiyaki Way and Mombasa Road. However, this is not a new phenomenon in Nairobi's infrastructure development.
Recalling the upgrade of Lang'ata Road in the mid-1990s, following the devastation caused by El Nino, residents experienced similar disruptions. The road was constricted further by semi-permanent business premises, and the upgrading works caused outrage among Kenyans.
Similarly, during the construction of Thika Highway, businesses and lives were severely disrupted, with some families forced to relocate due to the daily annoyance. The haphazard construction of structures on access routes has been a persistent issue in Nairobi, leading to widespread disruptions when one road is blocked.
It is pointless to get annoyed over the road closures and gridlocks on Waiyaki Way and Mombasa Road, as Nairobi's motorists are accustomed to disruptions. The city's drivers have little regard for rules, and as long as the mind behind the wheel is narrow, traffic jams will persist.
While it is understandable for Kenyans to express their feelings about the expressway, the energy being expended on the disruption of traffic flow will be needed when looking for money to repay the loan used to build the expressway or pay toll fees to use it.
As a matter of fact, the lenders will still demand their money back, and taxpayers will have to pay it. It is safe to say that the only time the expressway could have been stopped from snaking its way through the city was before construction started.
