Transport Cabinet Secretary (CS) Kipchumba Murkomen has maintained that all police officers should enforce traffic laws irrespective of their assigned department.
In his statement on Thursday, April 18, 2024, the CS shared an image of an overloaded motorbike and warned that such individuals would face the law.
Murkomen reiterated his commitment to enforcing President William Ruto's directive by reducing the number of road accidents and fatalities.
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"Good morning Kenya. Following the directives issued by His Excellency the President, all police officers are under instructions to enforce the law without considering their police departments. Such errant drivers, riders & passengers will be in aloooooot of trouble. The numbers must fall," the CS said.
Good morning Kenya. Following the directives issued by his Excellency the President, ALL Police officers are under instructions to enforce the LAW without considering their police departments. Such errand DRIVERS, RIDDERS & PASSENGERS will be in aloooooot of trouble. The numbers… pic.twitter.com/sBYGRgSNpW— KIPCHUMBA MURKOMEN, E.G.H (@kipmurkomen) April 18, 2024
Earlier, President Ruto issued a stern warning to CS Murkomen over the rise in the number of road accidents.
The country's first in command who was speaking during the launch of the National Road Safety Action Plan at the Kenyatta Convention Centre (KICC) in Nairobi on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, said the factors leading to the cases of accidents are known and such the CS should work on them to reduce the cases.
"We all know the major causes of road accidents are reckless driving, overspeeding, and drunk driving. The numbers have not been coming down; they have been going up. Every year, the numbers are going up. Waziri and your team, the numbers have to come down, and the template on how the numbers should come down is known, is practised elsewhere, and impunity is keeping us from doing the right thing," Ruto stated.
Murkomen echoed Ruto's remarks saying the spate of deaths on roads has increased significantly. He also assured Kenyans that he will take action by ensuring that all road safety regulations are adhered to.
"The statistics are very grim. To be losing between 4,000 and 4,600 every year, the highest being in 2022, and if we had gone at that rate, we would have surpassed that number. To have about 20,000 critically injured people in our hospitals, and it does not hurt us to know that we do not feel the pain enough, and I am telling Kenyans that this is something that must worry us," the CS said.
"The big actors in these accidents are drivers because he is in control. We want to protect the driver. Most of these drivers cause these accidents because of fatigue. We must train our drivers well, and we must hold them accountable. If this area is sorted, we are going to triple the number of people to be employed if we eventually organise this sector," Murkomen added.
