Matiang’i wants driving schools deregistered

Acting Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i on Monday said the government is set to deregister all driving schools in a bid to curb the road carnage menace in the country.

Dr. Matiang’i told journalists in Nairobi that deliberations with stakeholders could see the government clamp down on incompetency of driving schools for what he termed as “giving driving licenses to murderers.”

“We have to be firm on driving schools. My proposal is to deregister all of them and reregister afresh so that we know who is qualified to run a driving school,” he said.

The Acting Interior CS added that a criteria to be used to evaluate qualified driving schools will be out within a week following deliberations between the Interior ministry, their Transport counterparts and the National Transport and Safety Authority.

“We have this morning directed for conditions one needs to register a driving school be set within 7 days,” Dr. Matiang’i added.

CS Matiang’i, who was speaking alongside his Transport counterpart, James Macharia, said new requirements will be implemented for the issuance of driving licenses countrywide.

“To get a new driving license, you will have to fulfill certain conditions, including medical,” he affirmed. “We are reviewing the entire traffic department. The process is going on now.”

The CS who also heads the Education docket however called out the judiciary for rescinding some of the decisions taken against traffic police.

“We can’t ask for police officers to be dismissed and they promptly return with court orders. We will have a conversation with judiciary because they also drive on these roads and may be at harm to these people they are allowing on our roads.”