The Inspector General (IG) of Police Joseph Boinnet has sounded a stern warning against motorists who may try to violate traffic rules after the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) exit from the roads.
Speaking on Wednesday as NTSA handed over road safety monitoring equipment to the National Police Service (NPS), IG Boinnet warned that the Authority's exit should not be interpreted as a vacuum.
"Anybody who thought that because NTSA is off the roads that they have better lifestyles. That they can go drink and drive, its bad news for you," the IG stated.
[caption caption="IG Joseph Boinnet (left) testing one of the BMW motorbikes"]
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"Now that we have the equipment, you better drink and get someone else to drive for you. If we find you drunk on our highways, you know what will happen.
"You will find yourself in court and the fines are quite stiff nowadays," Boinnet warned possible traffic offenders.
Among the Ksh165 million road safety enforcement equipment handed over by NTSA to the traffic police were 12 BMW outrider motorbikes, 70 alcohol-blows, and 55-speed cameras.
In a function officiated at the Upper Hill headquarters, Nairobi, the NPS also received 200 monitoring and enforcement gadgets that are connected to the NTSA databases.
On his part, NTSA Director General Francis Meja noted that given that keeping the roads safe is everyone's mandate, they will continue supporting the police on enforcement.
President Uhuru Kenyatta on January 9 ordered NTSA off the roads noting that traffic matters should be handled by the police traffic department, amid complaints of high-handedness of some NTSA officials.
Uhuru announced the changes during the burial of three African Independent Pentecostal Church of Africa (AIPCA) bishops in Meru who died in a grisly crash along the Embu-Nairobi highway.
[caption caption="A traffic police officer testing the equipment as NTSA officers look-on"]
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"We have decided that all NTSA officers withdraw from the roads and leave traffic work to the police. We want to see if we can restore order on the roads," the Head of State indicated.
Here is the video courtesy of NTV:
IG Boinnet warns rogue motorists of a tougher time on the roads after NTSA handed over road safety enforcement equipment. pic.twitter.com/5nLn1X3dc9
— NTV Kenya (@ntvkenya) August 15, 2018
