Sonko wants govt to remove bumps on Thika Superhighway
Nairobi senator Mike Sonko has moved to court seeking a compulsion order against the Cabinet Secretary for Transport Infrastructure and the city county government to remove bumps and rubble strips erected along Thika Superhighway.
He argues that the bumps and rubble strips cause unnecessary traffic gridlocks.
His request through lawyer Harrison Kinyanjui to have a trial court relocate to the Survey of Kenya and Homeland/Kenya Breweries points along the highway for “impact assessment” has been upheld, but the presiding judge is yet to set a date and time for the visit.
UNWARRANTED GRIDLOCKS
Sonko claims in the suit that the bumps and rubble strips create unwarranted traffic gridlocks during rush hours to the detriment of city motorists plying the Superhighway.
“In executing the prayer as sought, it is desirable that the court designates a point of assessment of the traffic flow at least 300 meters before the said bumps on either side of the Thika superhighway, and at the bumps, and at least 300 meters after the said bumps,” Mr Kinyanjui said.
He said the court needs to assess the impact of traffic jams caused by the “respondents inaction” at the two points along the highway.
“The congestion so created and complained of is not capable of being demonstrated on paper by affidavit evidence, neither can photographic evidence fully capture the extent of damage and losses occasioned by the respondents’ inaction” the senator argues.
BUMPS BE REMOVED
The suit has been certified as urgent at the high court.
Sonko claims traffic build up at the two points is a result of the “unwarranted bumps and rubble strips that ought to be removed.”
“The applicant wishes to thus demonstrate that he is not merely lodging proceedings for the sake of it, but to the intent that a just and fair decision will be made in accordance with the courts mandate,” Mr Kinyanjui said.
He said that upon the court own assessment of the two points, its discretion can be exercised based on actual facts fully verified as opposed to deciding the matter without the benefit of such evidence.
The suit also names the principal secretary of transport, Kenya national highways authority, Kenya Roads board, Kenya Urban Roads Authority and the Attorney General as respondents.