Eldoret:Malaba: Joyce Jepkosgei has embarked on a 133-kilometer walk from Malaba to Eldoret to raise awareness about road safety along the Eldoret-Malaba highway. The journey will take her through Bungoma and culminate in Eldoret, where she plans to visit survivors of a recent fuel tanker explosion.
According to Kenya News Agency, the accident occurred near Paul Boit High School when a fuel tanker overturned and collided with a saloon car. The spilt fuel ignited and exploded while members of the public were syphoning fuel, resulting in multiple casualties.
Jepkosgei, who serves as the Secretary of the Kenya Heavy Commercial Vehicle Operators Society (KHCVOS), will plant trees along the route to honor those who perished in the accident. She emphasized the importance of public caution when using roads and advised against rushing to accident sites to collect spilt goods, especially fuel from overturned tankers.
She highlighted the dangers of handling fuel, noting its highly flammable nature, which can lead to severe injuries or fatalities. Jepkosgei called for residents to learn from past incidents like the Sachangwan tanker fire and to support motorists and truck drivers in distress instead of exploiting their misfortunes.
This walk is Jepkosgei’s second initiative for road safety awareness, following her earlier 922-kilometer journey from Malaba to Mombasa to advocate for truck drivers’ rights and road safety.
KHCVOS President Sudi Mwatela, who flagged off Jepkosgei, urged the Government to expedite the expansion of the Northern Corridor highway to the Malaba border, citing the urgent need for road widening due to the rising number of vehicles and to enhance safety and reduce congestion.
