Residents of Gongoni area in Magarini Sub County, Kilifi County stage protests along the Malindi- Lamu highway on Sunday, April 5, 2026 over increased road accidents in the area and demanding the Kenya National Highways (KeNHA) authority to widen the road, erect bumps and roads signs to prevent accidents. Photo by Ben Okweingoti. 
By Ben Okweingoti
Residents of Gongoni Market in Magarini Sub County have staged protests over the deteriorating state of the Malindi–Lamu Highway, which they say has become a deadly stretch prone to frequent accidents.
The demonstrations come barely a day after five people lost their lives in a grisly head-on collision involving a tuk-tuk and a lorry near Majanaheri Shopping Centre. Eyewitnesses believe the tragedy could have been avoided if the road was wider and better maintained.
Angry residents temporarily blocked the busy highway, demanding urgent government intervention to address what they described as a long-standing safety crisis.
Speaking during the protest, local resident Nur Omar decried the rising number of fatalities and destruction of property linked to accidents along the road.
“This highway is extremely busy, yet it lacks basic safety features. There are no road signs, no bumps, and the road itself is narrow and elevated, making accidents almost inevitable,” she said. “We are calling on the government to expand the road, install proper signage, and put up speed bumps to prevent further loss of life.”
Omar lamented that the community had endured repeated tragedies, with many families losing loved ones or living with permanent injuries.
“We have buried enough victims of this road. We are not ready to bury more. Some survivors are left with life-altering injuries, while others have lost livestock and property. Enough is enough,” she added.
Her sentiments were echoed by Katana Kahindi, who faulted authorities for inaction and urged the Kenya National Highways Authority to move with speed in addressing the hazards.
“Our leaders must wake up to the reality that this road is claiming lives. They should push the relevant agencies to ensure we get a safer road with proper signage and lighting to guide drivers,” he said.
Kahindi also pointed to reckless driving, particularly by heavy commercial vehicles and motorists unfamiliar with the route, as a major contributor to the accidents.
He recounted recent incidents, including the death of a woman who was killed after a vehicle veered off the road, and the fatal crash that claimed five lives when a speeding sand-laden lorry rammed into a tuk-tuk.
While reports indicate that Kilifi Governor Gideon Mung’aro is expected to attend burial ceremonies for some of the victims, residents insist that symbolic gestures are not enough.
“We do not want leaders coming here to bury victims. We want action. Let them push KeNHA to fix this road once and for all,” Kahindi said.
The residents now warn that protests will persist until concrete measures are taken to make the highway safe for all users.
