IG Mutyambai puts rogue drivers on notice, launches countrywide crackdown

As Kenyans gear up for the Christmas and New Year festivities, Inspector General of Police Hillary Mutyambai has put on notice rogue drivers during this festive season, warning that stern action will be taken against those flouting traffic regulations.

While noting a spike in fatalities on the roads since January, the IG attributed the deaths to human behaviour apportioning the blame on both drivers and pedestrians.

“Analysis of the causes of the crashes continue to point at common road traffic offenses such as drinking and driving, overloading, speeding,” said IG Mutyambai, in a joint press conference on Tuesday with NTSA Director-General George Njao and Kenya Prisons Commissioner General Wycliffe Ogallo.

NTSA boss Njao, on his part, stated that pedestrians have also contributed to deaths on the roads.

“Simple lack of courtesy among road users…and this is why you see there is a significant increase in the number of deaths among pedestrians,” he stated.

According to the NTSA, as at December 13 this year 3,663 Kenyans died in road accidents as compared to 2,942 people in 2019.

This, in essence, means 721 more lives were lost this year, marking a 4.5 per cent increment.

The prisons department has also come in handy to boost the capacity of the National Police Service, deploying 5,000 special officers to assist during the festive season.

The operation is expected to focus on speed monitoring, licence validity and route compliance for Public Service Vehicles (PSVs).