Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen on Monday, April 3 named the Nairobi - Nakuru Highway as the most dangerous road in the country.
Speaking after a meeting with the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) board, Murkomen revealed that the section recorded the highest number of road fatalities in 2023.
"Statistics help us to know where we have more accidents. The Mombasa-Malaba, Mombasa Nairobi and particularly Nairobi - Nakuru is the most dangerous road in the country," he stated.
The CS made public the statistics by NTSA which indicated that 1,072 lives had been lost in road accidents between January and March 2023.
Consequently, he directed the authority to launch a crackdown on vehicles across all roads in the country. in a bid to curb road carnage during the Eater holidays.
"I directed NTSA to heighten surveillance to ensure unroadworthy vehicles are not allowed on our roads. Motorists and pedestrians should take the requisite precaution when using the roads," Murkomen noted.
However, he acknowledged that it would be impossible to have NTSA and traffic police officers in all sections of the county's vast road network. The Transport boss disclosed plans to engage the private sector.
"We want to make sure we onboard the private sector in motor vehicle inspection so that we reach as many people as possible
"All vehicles will be inspected and each motorist will be issued with an inspection certificate to confirm that one has been servicing the vehicle, have good brakes, and so forth," the CS added.
The decision came barely days after 18 people died after a bus belonging to Pwani University rammed into a matatu at Kayole area along the Nairobi- Nakuru Highway.
On April 1, Murkomen blamed the accident on brake failure and announced laws that required mandatory and regular inspection of vehicles.
Furthermore, he confirmed that cameras would be erected along all major highways starting with the Mombasa-Kisumu-Busia stretch in the pilot phase.
