MAK Demands Major Changes on Nairobi-Mombasa Highway After 22 Die in Crash

The Motorists Association of Kenya (MAK) has demanded urgent changes along the Nairobi-Mombasa Highway following a fatal head-on collision that claimed 22 lives on Sunday, October 25, 2026, raising renewed concerns over road safety.

The association called on the government to fast-track the dualling of the 461-kilometre highway, arguing that decades of delays have left motorists and passengers exposed to dangerous road conditions and avoidable accidents.

MAK criticised successive administrations for failing to deliver adequate dual carriageways despite years of discussions about upgrading the vital transport corridor. The lobby noted that the highway was first constructed in 1901 during colonial rule.

The association also accused road and transport authorities, construction regulators and police officers of corruption, alleging that bribery, poor road construction and unroadworthy vehicles have contributed to dangerous conditions. These allegations have not been independently established.

In addition to expanding the highway, MAK demanded the immediate separation of heavy commercial trailers from long-distance passenger buses, arguing that reducing interactions between the two categories of vehicles could help prevent deadly head-on collisions.

The lobby further urged the government to prioritise freight transportation through the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR), particularly along the Mombasa-Naivasha corridor, to reduce the number of heavy trucks using busy highways and improve safety.

The latest demands followed a collision involving a trailer and a passenger bus that reportedly killed 22 people and injured several others. The association questioned how many more lives would be lost before authorities took decisive action.

The Nairobi-Mombasa Highway has also witnessed other deadly accidents, including a recent crash that claimed the lives of 17 pilgrims travelling for a religious service in the Salama area, highlighting persistent concerns over safety along the route.

Plans to dual the highway have faced prolonged delays since proposals emerged in 2017. The government later abandoned the proposed KSh468 billion Usahihi Expressway after concerns over costs and fiscal risks, opting instead to upgrade the existing A8 highway. On March 18, Roads and Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir confirmed that preparations for the expansion were progressing, with the Treasury evaluating bids for a consultancy to assess traffic, engineering requirements, environmental and social impacts, and the project’s economic viability.

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