Fuel shortage woes: Plight of commuters on Lamu-Witu-Garsen road which has limited petrol stations

Drivers and vehicle owners along the Lamu-Witu-Garsen road have endured years of travelling on a route with few petrol stations.

This has frequently led to vehicles being unable to complete their journeys, forcing drivers to spend extra money to hire bodaboda operators to fetch petrol from distant stations.

The 135-kilometre Lamu-Witu-Garsen road has about four petrol stations, each located several kilometres apart. One station is situated at the Mokowe Jetty and Mokowe Town.

A new petrol station, Gulf, has recently opened at the Lamu Port (Lapsset) Junction, between Mokowe and Hindi. Other stations can be found in Hindi Town, Mpeketoni, Hongwe Town, Kibaoni Junction, and Witu Town.

A petrol station at Mpeketoni along the Lamu-Witu-Garsen route. Commuters along the route are requesting more petrol stations. (Farhiya Hussein)

Commuters on this route have raised concerns, emphasising the need for additional petrol stations at strategic points along the route to prevent delays caused when vehicles run out of fuel.

Ahmed Omar, a lorry driver on the Lamu-Witu-Garsen road, has called for petrol stations to be established in areas previously considered terror hotspots, including the Ndeu Road Block, Milihoi, Mapenya Junction, Mambo Sasa, Nyongoro, and Lango La Simba.

In 2018, the national government set up security camps in these terror hotspots along the Lamu-Witu-Garsen route, putting an end to the attacks and killings that had plagued the area.

"These areas have now become peaceful, meaning those willing to invest can do so without fear. As drivers, we urge investors to consider setting up petrol stations in these locations to ease our work. Once our vehicles run out of fuel, we’ll be able to refill wherever we are," said Omar.

A boat operator refilling his boat in Lamu. (Farhiya Hussein)

Peter Kariuki, a driver, added that having more petrol stations would not only ease operations but also help revitalise previously neglected areas.

"These sections of the route are so isolated and desolate. Establishing petrol stations would bring life to these areas and end the inconveniences we face when our vehicles run out of fuel," said Kariuki.

Bodaboda operators, who are particularly impacted by the lack of petrol stations along the route, are eager to see these petrol stations built. Riders are often seen pushing their motorbikes manually after running out of petrol far from any station.

A petrol station mounted on a boat in the Indian Ocean. (Farhiya Hussein)

Simon Waweru, a bodaboda rider, hopes that investors will set up petrol stations along the route to save them from their struggles.

"Milihoi and Mambo Sasa are very isolated parts of the route. It’s high time that businesses, including petrol stations, are set up here to save us from our current struggles. When our motorbikes run out of fuel, we have to push them all the way to Mpeketoni or Witu, which isn’t ideal. We need more petrol stations along this route," said Waweru.

Zena Salim, a Lamu resident, noted that with the development of the Lamu Port South Sudan Ethiopia Transport (Lapsset) Corridor, there is a growing need not only for petrol stations but also for hotels and restaurants along the route.

"Nowadays our road is busy, with lorries carrying cargo to and from the Lamu Port in Kililana. There are also many passenger and private vehicles using the route," said Salim.

A bus along the Lamu-Witu-Garsen route. (Farhiya Hussein)

Lamu County Commissioner Wesley Koech praised the national government’s continued security efforts, including the ongoing multi-agency operation in Boni Forest, which has significantly improved safety in the area.

He assured commuters on the Lamu-Witu-Garsen route that their security was guaranteed.

"We’ve intensified patrols along the Lamu-Witu-Garsen road to ensure the safety of all travellers. There’s no need for concern," said Koech.