Michuki traffic rules are back to curb road carnage

The government has announced the return of the dreaded public transport regulations, popularly known as the Michuki Rules, to tame rogue matatu drivers in the wake of concerns over increasing road accidents.

Transport Cabinet Secretary James Macharia and his Interior Counterpart Fred Matiang'i said the rules, introduced by the no-nonsense powerful Cabinet minister John Michuki in 2003, will be enforced with more ruthlessness and discipline. Mr Michuki died in 2012.

Road accidents have been on the rise this year and have killed 8,000 people in the last three years. Just last month, 58 people were killed in a horrific accident involving a bus in western Kenya.

on Thursday, the ministers said matatu owners, drivers, conductors, and passengers have until November 12 to comply with the rules, the National Transport and Safety Authority Act 2013, and the Traffic Act.

Public service vehicles will have to be fitted with speed governors, safety belts and painted with a yellow line. Similarly, all PSV drivers and conductors will be required to wear uniforms and badges and prominently display their photos in the vehicles.

CORRUPTION

Laxity and corruption among traffic police and NTSA officers have given rise to chaos on the roads resulting in serious injuries and deaths.

"Any PSV vehicle, drivers, transport companies, passengers, and any other relevant parties that fail to comply will be firmly dealt with in accordance with the law," Dr Matiang'i and Mr Macharia said in a statement.

A staggering 91 per cent of the crashes are attributed to human related factors such as speeding, reckless driving, dangerous overtaking and drink driving, tendencies which the government hopes to curtail by enforcing the Michuki Rules.

“It will be a ruthless, painful and sustained exercise until we see the return of order in the sector,” Interior Principal Secretary Karanja Kibicho last Wednesday about the new enforcement drive. “This time, it will be meticulous.”

The announcement came the same day Inspector-General of Police Joseph Boinnet told a parliamentary committee that the bus that killed 58 people at Fort Ternan was not inspected by police throughout the journey.

The bus veered off the road while descending a steep slope, ran over a guard rail, rolled and plunged down about 20 metres, where it landed on a rocky spot.

ACCIDENT

Mr Boinnet told the National Assembly Transport, Housing and public works committee that the police are investigating the accident.

“We are looking at the entire chain of the journey from the time the bus left Nairobi until the time of the accident,” Mr Boinnet said.

“We cannot pretend that we are angels to be everywhere and regrettably things happen. The information we have so far is that the bus left at 12 midnight and when it reached Westlands, it went back to the bus station,” added Mr Boinnet.

Mr Boinnet was taken to task by the MPs for failing to take any action against his officers three weeks since the accident occurred.

INTERDICTION

Nyatike MP Tom Odege said: “Up to date, we have not heard of any interdiction of any officer yet families have buried their loved ones. If this House cannot force the Inspector General to take responsibility, then we are doing a disservice to the people."

Kajiado East MP Peris Tobiko claimed police officers have turned road blocks into extortion avenues instead of doing a thorough check of the vehicles.

Mr Boinnet admitted that corruption was rife at the traffic department and that he is working on ways to end it.