Vandalism turns Dongo Kundu bypass into dark zone
A tuktuk passes near a vandalised security light along the Dongo Kundu bypass in Mombasa County on December 17, 2022.
Driving along the Dongo Kundu bypass at night is a nightmare due to the darkness along the Changamwe roundabout all the way to Bonje interchange along Mombasa-Mariakani highway.
This is due to wanton vandalism on the multi-billion dollar road project. Motorists have to exercise extra care while driving along the 15 kilometre stretch.
The Kenya National Highways Authority (Kenha) is grappling with vandalism, particularly of the lighting system, at the Dongo Kundu bypass also known as Mombasa Southern bypass, a multi-billion-dollar road project.
The authority will spend Sh420 million to repair street lights and further establish two police stations to curb the menace at the bypass and deal with insecurity at the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) Miritini station.
This is due to muggings of passengers arriving from the SGR terminus.
The Mombasa Southern bypass will connect Mombasa and Kwale without using the ferry. Currently, ferries are the only connections between Mombasa and Kwale unless you use the longer routes of Samburi-Kinang'o or Mazeras-Kinang'o.
Motorists pay between Sh120 to Sh20, 000 to cross the Likoni crossing channel, while pedestrians cross at no charge. The channel operates round the clock. More than 6, 000 vehicles use the channel and over 300, 000 pedestrians.
KFS collects more than Sh21 million annually from motorists plying the channel. Most goods imported from Tanzania, especially timber and foodstuffs are ferried through the ferry, however with the near completion of the bypass transporters will be using the new road network.
But the Sh22 billion Dongo Kundu Bypass Highway, which is 70 percent complete, is an important transport corridor for traffic destined to and from Tanzania, the interior of Kenya and beyond is grappling with vandalism.
The street lights at the bypass which will provide alternative routes to the South Coast, reducing congestion at the Likoni ferry and further decongesting Mombasa Island have been vandalised.
The construction of the Mombasa Southern bypass began in 2015, and it is expected to be opened in 2024.
"The vandalism has become rampant, especially street lighting in Lot 1, which is why there have been complaints among motorists.
We had secured the cables and covered them with concrete and sealed them with very heavy metals, but somehow the vandalism has been very severe and we have lost the entire system,” said engineer Moses Mutea.
The authority has spent over Sh70 million for the lighting system, however, the cables and substations have been vandalized with only electric poles remaining.
The engineer said vandalism is a serious challenge affecting Kenha in all its projects across the country, affecting street lighting and road signs and other structures which are easily accessed.
Kenha is proposing to implement a solar system to address the issue of vandalism, which has been a serious challenge affecting the authority's projects across the country, including street lighting, road signs, and other structures that can easily be accessed.
The authority is currently conducting trials for the solar system.
"If we succeed, we will adopt the solar system in all our roads to fight vandalism," said Kenha Engineer Moses Mutea.
"We have tried to sensitise locals about vandalism, but sometimes you realize the thieves come from far. For people to take these cables, there is a place where they are selling, so we try with the police to trace the buyers of the materials.
If we arrest the buyers, we will curb the menace," he added.
Two weeks ago, Kenha senior officials pitched camp in Mombasa to inspect the project and realized that vandalism was being carried out even during the daytime.
"They wear reflector jackets as if they are maintenance group and before you realize the whole system is down. Then they start pulling the cables. Since the whole system has been vandalized, we are proposing a solar system whereby there are no underground cables, but over 30 meters high mast to secure our system," added Eng Mutea.
Insecurity cases
Kenha is also putting up a new police station at Mwache to help with surveillance along the entire route corridor from Kipevu to Miritini, including the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) station.
Currently, there is a police station at the weighbridge, but Mr Mutea said it is not sufficient.
"Because even at the weighbridge, we require security because of the many vehicles. We also want to ensure we deal with insecurity cases because we have had complaints of people saying they have been mugged coming from SGR. The Mwache police station will deal with such cases," said the Kenha official.
Hoteliers and investors are eyeing the road network to boost business and tourism. The tourism sector has raised concerns about delayed ferry services as thousands of visitors flock to the Coast for the festive season.
"Kenya Ferry has challenges. We cannot wait for the Dongo Kundu bypass. If you are headed to or from the South Coast, cross early morning before 8am. If you are coming from Nairobi pass the Samburu turnoff, then take the Kinango-Kwale road. You rather do that as opposed to getting stuck at the ferry for three or four hours,” Pollman’s Tours and Safaris Director, Mohammed Hersi.
