Traffic officers ‘abetting corruption’ on highways

By JECKONIAH OTIENO

The dire traffic situation in Kenya is not going to end soon. Outside Nairobi, the business of flouting traffic rules seems to be the order of the day, with the full complicity of the traffic police.

While Nairobi has erratic traffic crackdowns to rid the roads of non-compliant vehicles, the situation in other towns is actually far worse as these places are devoid of any regulation.

Travel to any town from Kisii to Eldoret; Kisumu to Kitale and the rules are flouted with abandon as traffic officers preside over this anomaly by collecting ‘taxes’.

Traffic Commandant Samuel Kimaru however insists officers do not condone flouting of rules and are on the roads to keep law and order.

“Officers on the roads have one duty; to ensure vehicles follow the law. If there are any asking for bribes then the public is free to report to the relevant authorities,” says Kimaru.

But what Kimaru might not know is that his officers are busy abetting and even taking charge of the traffic menace.

Speaking to commuters along the Kisii-Migori route, passengers said they are made  to sit four in a seat meant for three.

However, some passengers admit if they were to firmly speak in one voice against these vices then nobody would force them to get into the vehicles. But touts on the other hand say they are not to blame for the quagmire.

They are pointing fingers at traffic cops who they argue are behind their ‘greed’.

A tout only identified as Oti along the Kisii–Migori route says even if one wanted to follow the rules, they would be forced to break them because the cops openly take bribes whether you comply or not.

 He says, “We cannot pretend there is no corruption on the roads. Touts are harassed and have to comply with the officers’ wishes.”

The Matatu Owners Association (MOA) on the other hand says the problem of corruption can only be solved through self-regulation by the public transport vehicles. Through its chair, Simon Kiimutai, MOA says it is very difficult to rein in corruption if traffic officers remain on the roads. “Self-regulation is the only way to solve this problem, otherwise it will remain a cat-and-mouse game which will leave passengers on the receiving end,” Kimutai says.

A former traffic commandant says it is clear corruption and non-compliance on the roads go hand in hand and one cannot be divorced from the other.

 Helpless passengers can only sit and ask, “Till when”?