‘We are tired’: Eastleigh residents decry bad state of neglected roads amid heavy rains

Residents and business owners along the extension of Second Avenue from the Equity Bank roundabout to Fourteenth Street in Eastleigh have raised concerns over the deteriorating condition of the road, saying it has made transport and business operations increasingly difficult.

The road has been badly damaged by ongoing heavy rains in Nairobi, leaving large gullies across the surface and deep potholes filled with stagnant, dirty water.

The flooding has disrupted movement for both pedestrians and vehicles. Cars often get stuck or are forced to slow down to navigate through the water, while pedestrians are left with only narrow, muddy paths to walk on.

The damage has also taken a toll on businesses along the road, which is lined with multi-storey residential buildings, food stores, pharmaceutical wholesalers, restaurants, shops, and booking offices for buses operating routes to towns such as Garissa and Wajir.

Many businesses report reduced customer visits because people find it difficult to access the area.

Daily struggles

John Kiarie, who runs a general shop along the stretch, described the daily struggles.

“It is hard bringing stock here, lorries carrying them find it hard accessing here, customers also cannot access this place because they have nowhere to pass,” he said.

Residents say the problem is not new. Even in the dry season, vehicles struggle with the deep potholes.

According to Yunis Isaaq, a resident of one of the nearby buildings, the neglect has gone on for too long.

“Everyone here is sick of the state of this road; we want the government to help us find a permanent solution,” he said.

Public transport operators have echoed these frustrations.

Matatu drivers argue that if the road were in good condition, it would ease heavy congestion on Mohamed Yusuf Haji Avenue, one of Eastleigh’s busiest roads.

“We use this road sometimes, but not all vehicles can use it; it would have greatly reduced the traffic jam that builds up along Mohamed Yusuf Haji Avenue if it were in good condition,” said Jackson Mulee, a matatu operator on the Eastleigh–Donholm route.

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• Eastleigh
• Eastleigh Second Avenue
• Eastleigh residents
• Mohamed Yusuf Haji Avenue
• eastleigh roads
• ‘We are tired’: Eastleigh residents decry bad state of neglected roads amid heavy rains
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Last month, residents and traders staged demonstrations demanding urgent repairs, but their calls have gone unanswered. Many feel their concerns have been ignored despite repeated complaints.

During a visit to Eastleigh in March, President William Ruto promised that the government would rehabilitate the road within two to three months. However, five months later, the road remains in poor condition, with no visible repair work carried out.

With rains continuing, residents warn that the situation is worsening by the day.

They are now calling on the government to urgently step in with a lasting solution that will improve mobility, support businesses, and ease growing traffic congestion on nearby roads.