Commuters on Lamu-Garsen route call for road signs at Mambo Sasa blackspot

Despite the Lamu-Witu-Garsen route being wider and seemingly perfect at the Mambo Sasa section, most drivers have ended up speeding without caring, resulting in accidents, injuries and at times, deaths.

Mambo Sasa Forest has in recent times turned out to be the blackspot of the Lamu-Witu-Garsen route as months hardly pass without an accident being recorded.

The latest accident happened on October 7, 2024 and claimed the lives of three people and five others were injured.

According to police reports, six people have died this year alone with over 20 others injured as a result of road accidents at Mambo Sasa.

For instance, on January 10 this year, nine security agencies were injured when a military vehicle they were travelling in veered off the road and plunged into a shallow ditch in Mambo Sasa.

The vehicle was speeding. No death was reported.

In February this year, a 44-year-old man died while three other people were injured when the private car they were travelling in veered off the road and rolled several times at the Mambo Sasa road section.

The man, who was the driver of the ill-fated vehicle, was pronounced dead on arrival at the Mpeketoni Hospital.

In March 5, 2024, a 23-year-old boda boda rider died on the spot after his bike rammed into a speeding Land cruiser at Mambo Sasa area along the Lamu-Witu-Garsen road.

In May this year, a 21-year-old boda boda rider died while two pillion passengers were injured when the motorcycle they were on slid and hit a tree within Mombo Sasa.

In July 2024, two people died and three others were injured when a Toyota Wish car rolled several times at the Mambo Sasa section.

A man inspects a car that crashed at the Mambo Sasa blackspot on the Lamu-Witu-Garsen route. (Photo: Farhiya Hussein)

And on Monday, October 7, 2024, three people from the same family died while five others were injured when a Toyota Noah vehicle they were travelling in from Mombasa to Lamu veered off the road and rolled several times at the Mambo Sasa road section.

Two of the occupants, all females, died on the spot while the driver of the ill-fated vehicle died hours later at the Mombasa Coast General Hospital where he had been rushed for specialised treatment while in critical condition.

The five other passengers escaped with minor injuries and were treated and discharged at the Witu Health Centre in Lamu West.

Commuters of the Lamu-Witu-Garsen route questioned why there were rising cases of grisly accidents involving both personal and public service vehicles, particularly at Mambo Sasa where many view the about half-a-kilometre road lane as perfectly constructed.

Said Swaleh, driver, who uses the route daily, said there are no potholes at Mambo Sasa or any other factor to be linked with the accidents.

“The road is wide and it’s still new. However, we don’t have any road signs to warn drivers of the dangers of speeding within the Mambo Sasa section. And I think there's a need to have one now that it’s turning to be a blackspot and somehow slippery,” said Swaleh.

Ahmed Omar, the Lamu PSV drivers’ spokesperson, cited issues of visibility as a factor that might be behind drivers’ failure to control their vehicles, especially when moving fast.

The Mambo Sasa road section, which is about a kilometre from Witu town, cuts through the Mambo Sasa Forest which is part of the dense Boni Forest.

Both sides of the road have tall, dark and indigenous trees, making the section a bit dark.

“The place is fine but tall trees have grown on the roadsides. I suspect our drivers, while speeding, get visibility problems, hence fail to control their vehicles and get involved in accidents that have always left many nursing serious injuries while others dying,” said Ahmed.

Lamu Central Sub-County Police Commander William Kahindi Ngombo has always cautioned motorists against careless driving on the road, particularly on reaching Mambo Sasa that has in recent days recorded repeated accidents.

“I would like to caution our motorists to avoid speeding on the road to avoid further loss of lives,” said Ngombo.

Lamu County Commissioner Wesley Koech also warned both PSV and private car drivers to exercise caution when driving and avoid speeding.

In December 2019, at least 50 passengers escaped unhurt after a Lamu-bound bus overturned near Mambo Sasa.

The Tawakal Bus from Mombasa was headed to Lamu when it veered off the road and rolled.

The incident was blamed on the heavy rains that had pounded the area at the time.

The rains had generally made the Lamu-Witu-Garsen road, which was under construction by then, slippery.

In October 2019, two Lamu County health workers were seriously injured after the car they were travelling in veered off the road and rolled several times at Mambo Sasa Forest near Witu.

The car was headed to Mombasa from Lamu and had four occupants on board and was speeding at the time of the crash.