Nairobi — Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has directed Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) to install jersey barriers at accident-prone Ngata Bridge

His statement came hours after eight people were on Tuesday evening killed in an accident involving two Public Service Vehicles and a truck at Ngata Bridge along the Nakuru-Eldoret Highway.

Twenty-three others were seriously injured and were taken to the Rift Valley Provincial General Hospital for treatment.

"I have directed KeNHA to immediately implement adequate measures to forestall any such accidents. These actions will be for the short and long term," Murkomen stated.

The Authority was further ordered to institute a raft of other measures to forestall further loss of lives at the bridge.

Murkomen said the highways management agency will be required to install 'Observe Lane Discipline' road signs on the stretch of the road around the Ngata Bridge area.

He directed the authority to also install 50KPH speed limit signs on both sides of the three-lane highway and instructed traffic police to enforce the rules including using speed guns.

As a long-term measure, the CS pointed out that government plans to commence construction of an additional lane and separate the flow of opposing streams of traffic with jersey barriers in the maiden akin to the Molo River-Sachangwan-Kibunja section.

The plan will be implemented by April 2023.