Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko has caused a major problem to Industrial area residents should Kenya Railways decide to block the footbridge connecting Nairobi’s CBD to Industrial area.
On Monday, the bridge was overloaded until late in the night following the ban against Matatus from accessing the CBD. The overload was caused by a huge crowd which tried to secure a way to town since the matatus couldn’t access the town as seen in the video below.
Kenya Railways overpass Foot bridge, Nairobi.
This is not a movie scene but actual situation on the ground.#MatatuCBDBan@InteriorKe @FredMatiangi@MikeSonko @NPSOfficial_KE
pic.twitter.com/INkitjSwBC— S?neus?hmed (@Skyneus) December 3, 2018
However, on Tuesday Kenya Railways warned Nairobians over the weakening of the footbridge connecting the Central Business District (CBD) to Industrial area.
Kenya Railways has warned commuters to be careful when crossing using the foot bridge at Railways as it is not strong enough to sustain the weight of many people #DayBreak pic.twitter.com/mkXKLPkklS
— Citizen TV Kenya (@citizentvkenya) December 4, 2018
“Kenya Railways would like to urge members of the Public using the Railway footbridge connecting CBD and Landi Mawe to do so in an orderly manner for their own safety and that of other users,” read an online post by the parastatal.
They further explained that they had deployed police at the footbridge to avoid overloading as it could only support a maximum of five people per square meter.
The bridge is made of wooden planks and is a major connection between the two most crucial sections of the city.
The warning came after a video of the overcrowded fragile bridge surfaced online.
The viral video showed terrified people who were crossing the bridge in the dark while screaming over fears it could collapse.
The bridge grew more dangerous especially during the rainy Tuesday morning as the planks became more slippery and made it more risky for commuters to slide and fall.
Sonko had issued a ban on all PSVs from accessing the CBD as a move to decongest the city of its problematic traffic.
The Governor However lifted the ban on Tuesday December 4, after consultations from the industry players who agreed to find a lasting solution that catered for all citizens including the sick and the handicapped.