December holidays are filled with joy, celebrations and cheerful giving. Many Kenyans travel up-country to celebrate the holidays with their families, many of whom may not have met in the entire year.
In 2020, measures set to curb the spread of the pandemic barred many Kenyans working and residing in urban areas from travelling up-country.
President Uhuru Kenyatta cautioned the nation from breaking the Public Health Act measures while vacating the nationwide curfew and lockdowns on October 20, during the Mashujaa Day celebrations.
On Wednesday, December 15, Interior Cabinet Secretary (CS), Fred Matiang’i announced that Uhuru further ordered police to continue working throughout December holidays. Police who were on leave were also recalled and all ordered to be vigilant during the festive season.
The law enforcers also launched a nationwide crackdown on motorists owing to the high rate of road carnages witnessed during the Christmas break and New Year celebrations.
Below are some of the minor infringements that may cause you to pay a fine or land in police cells during the holidays.
Overspeeding
A section of motorists celebrated after Uhuru ordered the National Safety and Transport Authority to exit Kenya roads in 2018.
NTSA is an agency tasked with registering and licensing motor vehicles, conducting vehicle inspection and certification and developing road safety strategies. On the roads, prior to their removal, NTSA led nationwide crackdowns and enforced other traffic laws.
Some of these mandates will be enforced by the police as ordered by Uhuru through CS Matiang’i.
Overspeeding is one of the major causes of road carnages in Kenya.
“This year's theme is ‘Act on low speed’. We are asking our motorists to observe low speeds because in the event of accidents, the fatalities are usually very low and serious injuries reduced,” NTSA stated in November 2021.
Other mistakes other overspeeding include lane indiscipline, non-compliance with Public Service Vehicle (PSV) licensing requirements and unroadworthiness of vehicles.
Being arrested for speeding may darken your festive season as you will be required to dig into your pocket to do another wrong so that you are let free.
Excessive drinking
In 2020, alcohol blow was periodically reintroduced on Kenyan roads towards the end of the year to apprehend motorists who drink and drive.
Traffic regulators are yet to announce whether the same measure will be enforced.
Lawbreakers are liable to fines or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or both.
Breaking the Public Health Act
Despite vacating the curfew, the Ministry of Health directed bars to operate as per their licenses. Kenyans were further ordered to continue wearing masks while appearing in public.
Police were ordered to enforce measures set to curb the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic especially with Kenya’s positivity rate rising in December 2021.
