The Motorists Association of Kenya (MAK) has issued a series of demands to the government following a fatal crash on Sunday, October 25, that claimed the lives of 22 passengers along the Nairobi - Mombasa Highway.
In a statement moments after the crash, the association has demanded that the government fast-track the dualing of the highway, which it claims was first constructed in 1901 by the colonial government.
"This highway was first constructed during colonial rule in 1901. A century and a quarter later, we are still waiting for adequate dual carriageways, while successive governments have spent nearly 20 years plotting to turn this vital corridor into a toll road and profit from its enormous traffic," MAK stated.
The association further accused the Ministry of Roads and Transport, the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA), the National Construction Authority (NCA) and the police as well of taking bribes, substandard road construction and allowing unserviced and unroadworthy vehicles to operate despite the danger they pose to passengers and other road users.
An image of an accident along the Mombasa-Nairobi Highway near Mtito Andei on October 25, 2026
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"Motorists Association of Kenya (MAK) is outraged by this morning's horrific head-on collision involving a trailer and a bus that has reportedly claimed 22 lives. How many more Kenyans must die before those entrusted with protecting human life wake up?" it posed.
Besides dualing the highway, the group has also called for major changes along the route, including the separation of heavy commercial trailers from long-distance passenger buses.
The lobby has also suggested that the government prioritises the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) for freight services, thereby allowing cargo to be transported by rail rather than allowing truck traffic to overwhelm highways, especially since the Mombasa-Naivasha SGR is already operational.
"MAK demands urgent separation of heavy commercial trailers from long-distance passenger buses. We must also prioritise the SGR for freight instead of allowing dangerous truck traffic to overwhelm our highways, particularly where rail infrastructure already runs parallel to the road," MAK said.
The demands followed a series of several deaths along the Mombasa-Nairobi Highway, with the latest being the Sunday crash that claimed the lives of at least 22 passengers, with several others injured.
Besides the 22 lives claimed, the highway also recently killed 17 pilgrims who were travelling for a service in the Salama area.
The dualling of the 461-kilometre Nairobi-Mombasa Highway has stalled for nearly a decade, even after plans were announced in 2017 to award the construction tender to an American company.
The National Treasury and the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Committee later rejected and terminated the Ksh468 billion Usahihi Expressway, proposed by Everstrong Capital, citing high costs and fiscal risk exposure.
The greenfield proposal would have built a new expressway, but the government has now dropped it in favor of upgrading the existing Nairobi-Mombasa Highway, also known as the A8.
However, Roads and Transport Cabinet Secretary, Davis Chirchir, on March 18 confirmed that the government was progressing with plans to dual the highway, which remains a high-priority project.
Currently, the Treasury has begun the evaluation of bids for a company that will help implement the planned expansion of the highway, with the consulting company expected to help assess traffic, engineering needs, environmental and social impacts, and costs to determine whether the highway expansion is technically and economically viable.
An undated image of a Kenya Railways passenger train on the SGR.
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Kenya Railways