Deputy Inspector-General (DIG) of Police Edward Mbugua on Monday announced the creation of a new police unit, the Kenya National Highways Police Unit.
According to Mbugua, the team of 49 officers will deal with highway robberies and road carnage.
The selected officers will begin their training on April 8 and will be required to report to the police headquarters a day before training begins.
"Inform the officers to prepare for training and inform (this office) when done," internal communication from the DIG's office directed.
[caption caption="File image of traffic police on a Kenyan road"]
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The unit would be comprised of two senior officers of the rank of assistant superintendent and assisted by seven chief inspectors and inspectors. The rest are sergeants, corporals and constables.
DIG Mbugua explained that the 49 were picked following competitive interviews of candidates picked from police stations and formations across the country.
Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) has made numerous requests to have a police unit that would enforce the Highway Code, especially at weighbridges, citing massive corruption in the traffic police department.
The new team will be stationed on some of Kenya's major highways including the Nairobi-Mombasa, Nairobi-Malaba and Nairobi-Busia roads.
National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) was also withdrawn from the roads by President Uhuru Kenyatta following a high number of casualties from road accidents.
The authority has since been left with oversight roles on conducting research and audits on road safety, developing and implementing road safety strategies and regulating public service vehicles.
Another concern that necessitated the formation of the highways unit was the high level of corruption displayed by traffic police.
[caption caption="File image of EACC officials inspecting traffic police caught taking bribes"]
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