At the heart of Juja town along Thika superhighway, there is a gaping hole that is endangering the lives of pedestrians and motorists.
Residents say that the opening is an eyesore and a disaster in waiting.
The hole is wide and deep enough to swallow a car.
The pit borders the busy highway, and according to businesspeople in the area, the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) are yet to take action.
“It has been like this for months. It continues to widen because of vibrations caused by heavy movements and when it rains, flood water deepens it,” a mechanic nearby told Wananchi Reporting.
Millicent Mwihaki, a resident revealed that KeNHA officers visited the spot twice and took pictures, but nothing has been done yet.
The residents fear that a child or a person unfamiliar with the place may fall in the hole, get hurt or drown especially when it collects water.
Just recently, a loaded vehicle nearly slid into the hole after the driver stepped on the weakened edge that had already started caving in, and was rescued by a wheel-loader.
“Using the loader’s hydraulic arm, the operator propped the vehicle from tumbling in, then pushed it away from the edge. He was lucky but others may not if the hole is not filled up soon,” the mechanic said.
Residents want the hole sealed, and a hazard demarcation put in place to warn pedestrians and motorists.
