Police to net errant motorists

The lorry that was involved in an accident on Oginga Odinga street on February 14, 2016 killed two people. Inspector-General of Police Joseph Boinnet on July 25, 2016 said officers had been directed to arrest and deal firmly with motorists flouting the law. PHOTO | TONNY OMONDI | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • He warned that the operation — targeting all categories of motorists including private, government, public service and heavy commercial vehicles — will be sustained until sanity is restored on the roads.
  • Last week, seven family members — a man, his son, daughter and daughter-in-law and three grandchildren — died at Salgaa while returning from a burial.

Police have launched a countrywide crackdown on motorists flouting traffic rules following the rising cases of accidents.

Inspector-General of Police Joseph Boinnet on Monday said officers had been directed to arrest and deal firmly with motorists flouting the law.

He warned that the operation — targeting all categories of motorists including private, government, public service and heavy commercial vehicles — will be sustained until sanity is restored on the roads.

Last week, seven family members — a man, his son, daughter and daughter-in-law and three grandchildren — died at Salgaa while returning from a burial.

They were among 16 people killed in two accidents that night. Nine people also died when a matatu they were travelling in was involved in an accident on the Mai Mahiu-Narok road.

Police noted that one of the major causes of road accidents was rampant violation of traffic rules and regulations, and said they will work closely with the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) and the Transport ministry.

Among motorists targeted are those found speeding, overloading, causing obstruction or carrying excess passengers.

NTSA, police and ministry officials met last Thursday to plan the crackdown.

The authority also directed that all Public Service Vehicle saccos and companies to ensure their drivers and conductors wear uniforms as prescribed in the Traffic Act.

On Monday, Starehe MP Maina Kamanda urged the NTSA to focus more on policy formulation and not enforcement.

Mr Kamanda, who is the chairman of the National Assembly Transport Committee, said NTSA was stretched thin in terms of resources and could not be effective.

However, NTSA Chairman Lee Kinyanjui defended the authority, saying it had achieved a lot in the short period it has been in existence despite limited resources.