Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen on Tuesday, March 19 announced a policy reversing former President Uhuru Kenyatta's directive ordering National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) officers off the road.
In a statement, the CS revealed that the decision was made after deliberations with Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki.
"Having consulted with my Interior and National Coordination colleague, Prof. Kithure Kindiki, we are going to establish a mechanism where the previous directive to remove NTSA from enforcement will be vacated and a collaborative regime between NTSA and NPS will be put in place for a more efficient enforcement," read part of the statement.
Murkomen revealed that the NTSA officers will now collaborate with the traffic police, effectively moving away from the order issued by Uhuru back in 2018.
This was among the directives issued by the CS after a grisly accident occurred along the Nairobi-Mombasa Highway on Monday involving a Kenyatta University bus and a trailer.
This accident resulted in the death of 11 students while 20 people sustained severe injuries.
On the same day, five other people lost their lives in another accident in Bomet County.
CS Kindiki on Tuesday, while commenting on a road accident involving a Kenyatta University bus which occurred on Monday announced a nationwide operation geared at reducing road carnage across the country.
The Cabinet Secretary stated that the government is in the process of drafting a document that will outline the measures that will guide the new direction.
During the event, Kindiki raised concerns over the recent spike in road carnage.
"We are coming up with nationwide law enforcement measures against traffic offences, drunk driving and unroadworthy vehicles," he stated.
The CS further noted that the government would also impose measures to ensure all road users across the country abide by traffic laws.
According to Kindiki, the operation will involve the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Transport and the NTSA.
Kindiki termed it as abnormal for about 4,000 Kenyans to die in road accidents within a short period.
He also emphasised that it was key to fight corruption on the roads which has been cited as a contributor to the accidents. Kindiki noted that some drivers were bribing rogue traffic officers.
"Some motorists are rude and defy orders from traffic offers, therefore we are calling upon all road users to comply including motorcycle riders," he added.
