Drunk driving? Alcoblow will blow you to the cells

By ALEX KIPROTICH

"The car will always find its way home." With this, the rider is always "one more for the road".

Before long the now inebriated fellow staggers to his car and off. This is a common consolation by motorists who indulge in alcohol before staggering into their vehicles to head home. How they get home is always a miracle as the story is shared with fellow drunkards in their drinking joints the following day.

However, this would soon end with the return of the Alcoblow, which for the short duration it was used four years ago, helped curb drunk driving and road carnage.

Those used to downing their favourite tipple late into the night before driving their way home miraculously know the nightmare of the breathalyser.

"This thing is terrible. When it was used, no drunk driver escaped it when flagged down by a police officer," says Isaiah Otenyo. Otenyo, a resident of Embakasi, says drunk drivers dread the gadget more than accidents.

The breathalyser detects blood alcohol levels of 0.08 and above – the legal limit for anyone driving.

So when the police brought in the gadget in 2006, in the true Kenyan spirit of resistance, every imbiber was against it and when the High Court suspended its use indefinitely drinkers celebrated.

The suspension was after Kenneth Wanjohi, a businessman, successfully sued the police and the Attorney General for using the gadget, which was not gazetted.

The news of its re-introduction is thus not a cause to have two rounds for friends.

Michael Kibinda says though the intention is noble, it goes against natural justice by denying people the right to enjoy themselves.

The return

"Why should the police decide for you the amount of alcohol to take yet it is your money – the product of your hard work?" asks Kibinda, a matatu driver.

He says re-introduction of the gadget is unfair because drunk driving causes not all accidents.

"How many accidents have been caused by people who have not taken alcohol? So why are people taking beer being punished? This is discrimination and hope someone will successfully go to court again," he says.

And drinkers will go to any length to claim they are not the cause of accidents, which claim over 3,000 lives annually.

Tim Mbwao avers that accidents cannot be controlled, thus other means of curbing them should be employed but the use of the Alcoblow. "Ajali haina kinga, (accident are uncontrollable) and we should look for better ways than being punitive to drinkers," he says.

Mbwao says he does not support the return of Alcoblow and urges Kenyans to oppose it. "I will never support its usage simply because it is going to be another goldmine for police officers. All genuine and sober-minded Kenyans should oppose it," he says.

But other Kenyans are happy the acting Minister for Transport Amos Kimunya is planning to re-introduce the device soon.

Margaret Marika says the breathanalyser is a step in the right direction if enforced fairly.

"If used right, it could make the Kenyan roads safer, if used wrongly, it could be a great source of bribes for traffic police officers," she says. She says she welcomes its use if it does not turn out to be a cash cow for traffic police offices.

Isaiah Ondieki, a police officer, says the gadget is good for road users and will help save lives. "So many people have lost their lives because of drunk driving. Motorists should not oppose it because it is would save their lives," he says.

Givan Karoki says the gadget has worked in Uganda and Kenya was not an exception, adding that brewers and drinkers should not cow the minister and police by opposing its usage.

Ruth Wekesa says the gadget is overdue but fears it could be unhygienic. "Hope the manufacturers have considered health concerns raised earlier and corrupt police officers won’t take advantage of it," she says.

The implementation of the use of the gadget is, however, bound to be met by creative motorists who would rather die driving while drunk than limit the amount of alcohol intake. While the gadget was used four years ago, drinkers came up with all manner of ways to beat it.

Drunken motorists ensured they had copper coins in their pockets, which they would put under their tongue whenever they were flagged down by police officers at roadblocks.

More tricks

It is believed the gadget cannot detect the level of alcohol intake because copper neutralises the smell of alcohol.

Other Kenyans saw the business opportunity in the drunken motorists’ waterloo.

Drivers for hire became a common sight few metres from police roadblocks who would flag down the motorists, alert them of the police, and drive them to pass the roadblock at a fee.

Some joints were known to monitor the police and would update revellers when it was safe to leave.

Other ways people employed to ensure they were not caught included spending the whole night in the pub or going with a friend who didn’t drink who will later drive him home or spend at his place.