Motorists Issue Two-Week Ultimatum Over Deteriorating Busia-Kisumu Highway

Motorists and residents along the Busia-Kisumu highway have issued a 14-day ultimatum to the national government to initiate emergency repairs on the deteriorating road. The corridor, which serves as a vital link between Kenya and the Great Lakes region, has seen a sharp decline in pavement quality, leading to daily traffic incidents and rising maintenance costs for operators.  

Local road users, led by boda boda associations and youth leaders, reported that several sections of the highway have become almost impassable. The most affected areas include the stretches near Korinda, Matayos Market, and Bumala town. In these locations, the tarmac has eroded significantly, leaving deep craters and crumbling edges that force drivers into the center of the road to avoid damage to their vehicles.

According to Dennis Juma, chairperson of the local boda boda association, the state of the road has turned routine travel into a life-threatening activity. He noted that the lack of proper shoulders and the presence of potholes along the road edges have made it particularly dangerous for two-wheeled transport and pedestrians. Similar concerns were echoed by George Ngala, a local youth leader, who noted that accidents involving heavy trucks and public service vehicles are now reported almost every day.

The highway is a primary artery for the Northern Corridor, facilitating the movement of fuel, agricultural products, and industrial goods to Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi. However, the heavy axle loads combined with years of inadequate maintenance have accelerated the structural failure of the pavement. Truck drivers at the Busia border have voiced frustration over the pace of transit, claiming that the transit time between Kisumu and the border has increased substantially as vehicles are forced to crawl through damaged sections.

Community members expressed anger toward the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) and local political leaders for what they describe as prolonged silence on the issue. While there have been previous government mentions of a long-term plan to dual the highway or include it in a larger regional upgrade project, residents argue that immediate intervention is needed to save lives. The current conditions are blamed for head-on collisions as motorists swerve to avoid potholes, often entering the path of oncoming traffic.

The 14-day notice warns that if the Ministry of Roads and KeNHA do not deploy contractors to the site for immediate patching and rehabilitation, the community will erect roadblocks to halt all traffic. This move would effectively sever a key economic lifeline for the region. Business owners in trading centers along the route also noted that the dust and mud resulting from the road’s condition have negatively impacted trade and visibility during the rainy seasons.

As of Tuesday, authorities had not yet issued a formal response to the residents' demands. The standoff comes at a time when road safety remains a national priority, with traffic authorities recently highlighting the link between poor infrastructure and preventable fatalities on major highways. For now, the people of Busia and Siaya counties wait to see if the two-week window will bring machinery or further silence.