Kibaki speaks against drunk driving

By NGARI GICHUKI

NAIROBI, KENYA: Retired President Mwai Kibaki has urged Kenyans to shun drunk driving as it is a major cause of road accidents.

He said stern action should be taken against reckless road users to curb the rising number of deaths. Road safety, he added, should be a major concern for everyone, not only the Government.

“It will take the collective effort of Kenyans to curb recklessness and drunk driving; it is you and I who should remind public transport operators that they a duty to drive Kenyans safely and that they have no right to endanger the lives of the public because of their misplaced bravado or juvenile antics on the road,” said Kibaki.

He was speaking during the commissioning of the Nairobi Western Ring Road, a ceremony that is part of Kenya’s jubilee celebrations.

Kibaki commended the Government for seeing through some of the Vision 2030 flagship projects like the completion of the road, saying such projects would transform Kenya into a global competitor with world-class infrastructure.

AVOIDABLE WEAR AND TEAR

The former president said maintenance and rehabilitation of roads should be taken seriously as they (roads) are to the economy what an engine is to a car.

Kibaki also said the network of roads, including the Western Ring Road, was deliberately designed to save time, improve access and ensure that vehicle owners were spared from avoidable wear and tear caused by poor roads.

“An efficient road infrastructure is a prerequisite to faster movement of goods, services and persons. I believe it is this spirit that informs the various interventions the Government is implementing in the road sector, including speedy and timely rehabilitation and reconstruction of deteriorated sections of our roads, “said Kibaki.

He also said traffic jams and congestion will be a thing of the past and that the new roads and bypasses will open Kenya up to investors, making it an economic hub in the region.

Transport Cabinet Secretary Michael Kamau said his ministry was working round the clock to ensure that all infrastructural projects were completed on time.

He added that postponement of projects was a thing of the past as the Government is more interested in action than talk.

Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero thanked Kibaki for laying the foundation for Kenya’s prosperity through good infrastructure.

He also warned grabbers to keep off public land and asked those with grabbed land to give it back willingly or face forceful eviction.

“It’s shameful for land grabbers to take land that is meant for building schools or recreational space for our children. That is like stealing from your child and I will not rest till all public land is reclaimed,” he said.