KeNHA Issues Warning On Structural Integrity Of The Sabaki Bridge In Magarini
The Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) is inspecting the Sabaki Bridge in Magarini sub-county, Kilifi County after soil erosion near the bridge raised concerns.
KeNHA is looking into whether erosion has threatened the bridge that connects Mombasa County to Tana River, Lamu, Garissa, Wajir, and Mandera counties.
According to residents, the River Sabaki shifted course seven days ago, causing erosion near the bridge and putting many people’s lives in danger.
Videos and photographs posted online show parts of the banks near the bridge with fault lines, while others appear to be barely holding on.
Fears mount over Sabaki bridge collapse risk after river changes course in Kilifi pic.twitter.com/Jg0fcX1wXV
— K24 TV (@K24Tv) June 4, 2025
“We are worried that this bridge might crumble if the flooding continues,” one resident said.
“It started the other day with small cracks. Yesterday, the cracks became bigger and more concerning,” another resident asserted.
The photographs also reveal that segments of the bridge that contact the river’s banks have begun to erode.
SAVE SABAKI BRIDGE!!! 😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/kw4Y72OffP
— Nick Angore (@angore) June 3, 2025
The 224-metre-long bridge that spans the Sabaki River has been under increasing strain as water levels rise across the country.
The Sabaki River is Kenya’s second-longest, flowing from the Aberdare Ranges to the Indian Ocean.
Built in 1997, the bridge serves as the only entrance and outlet between the six counties.
Any damage or shutdown would cause havoc in the counties attempting to transport food and other commodities.
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KeNHA intends to continue researching the structural integrity of the bridge along Malindi-Mombasa Road and provide recommendations on whether it should be reinforced or completely overhauled.
Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) officials inspect soil erosion threatening the Sabaki Bridge in Magarini Sub-County, Kilifi County. The change in the course of River Sabaki has posed a danger to the bridge, which links Mombasa County to Tana River, Lamu, Garissa, Wajir,… pic.twitter.com/iEPxgqaKeF
— The Standard Digital (@StandardKenya) June 4, 2025
The bridge has previously required upgrades.
The original bridge, erected in 1962, was declared unsafe and inadequate for maintenance and repair, prompting the construction of a replacement.
The government has already begun building a footbridge across the Sabaki River, using funding from the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation.
With an estimated cost of Ksh58.6 million, this project would connect the communities of Burangi and Sabaki, providing inhabitants with a safer way to cross the river, which is known to be inhabited by hippos and prone to floods.
KeNHA Issues Warning On Structural Integrity Of The Sabaki Bridge In Magarini
