Expect an increased presence of the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA), police, and Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission officers on the roads, starting today, Chief Justice Martha Koome has announced.
At the same time Judiciary will be mounting mobile courts along major corridors to deal with traffic offences, among the changes announced on Monday, December 15.
Koome said that the courts will be utilised for charging drivers who violate road traffic laws immediately during the festive season, with plans to scale up in the future.
This is part of an elaborate plan by the National Council on the Administration of Justice (NCAJ), which brings together, among others, ODPP, NTSA, police, and the Judiciary to reduce road accidents during the festive season. Koome is the chairperson of the 36-member committee.
The CJ asserted that the judiciary will be providing the exact location where the courts will be set, and it will also provide the necessary resources for those who will be charged to contact their legal representation for the case.
"We want to strengthen multi-agency coordination and information sharing for a unified and practical approach to enforcing traffic rules and regulations and the overall administration of justice during the festive season and beyond," Koome said.
According to the CJ, in the first two weeks of December, at least 28 deaths have been reported from road accidents, with over half in the past two days alone.
Meanwhile, NTSA will also reinforce surveillance on high-risk transport corridors to ensure compliance with road regulations among motorists.
According to Koome, the EACC will also deploy officers along roads to nab motorists and traffic police officers who engage in corruption.
"We want to rationalise joint enforcement and feasibility across the country and especially in high-risk corridors to handle traffic matters instantly during the festive season," Koome stated.
Koome affirmed that the new rules will be fundamental in ensuring that public safety is guaranteed during this time when the movement of goods and people spikes.
