It‘s now clear that some traffic police officers, instead of enforcing the law they have turned road blocks into extortion points. The fact that corrupt police, public service vehicles (PSV) conductors and drivers do little to conceal their dirty act is an indication of the laxity in law enforcement. Any keen regular traveler on Kenyan roads will easily attest to this appalling state of affairs.
It is in this light that I find the announcement by the National Transport Authority (NTSA) that road carnage has gone up by 40 per cent in the first quarter of 2016 disheartening to say the least.
Once they have had their palms oiled, the officers look the other way as PSV drivers and conductors have a field day overloading, speeding and flouting traffic rules with reckless abandon.
Why should a speeding and overloaded vehicle be flagged down at a road block and inspected only for it to cause a grisly accident a few kilometres away? Something must be done urgently to address this state of affairs. The axe should fall on corrupt traffic police officers. Rather than allow greed take precedence at the expense of common good, the officers should help stem drink driving, impound unroadworthy vehicles, arrest unlicensed drivers and those who speed.
Time is ripe for a national conversation on what can be done to avoid loss of lives on our roads.
Claims of duplication of roles by traffic police and the NTSA officers should be addressed to avoid blame game and restore sanity on the roads. To stem pedestrian deaths, cycling lanes should be constructed in all major towns. In addition, speed bumps and road signs should be erected. Traffic police must ensure pedestrians use foot bridges. National road safety campaigns should be rolled out and especially target schools and boda boda riders. Campaigns against drunk driving should also be stepped up. The Michuki rules must be enforced to the letter. This is the surest way to arrest the insanity that has gripped the transport sector for many years.
Better still, the government should consider better remuneration for police to stamp out corruption.
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