1,700 Vehicles Impounded In The Latest Crackdown By NTSA

By Jane Muia

Government spokesperson Col (Rtd) Cyrus Oguna in collaboration with National Transport and safety Authority-Kenya and traffic police initiated a 30- day road safety campaign on Friday, February 25, 2022, that aimed at ensuring safety on the roads.

The campaign which has so far confiscated 1,700 vehicles to ensure efficiency and increased compliance with the provision of the PSV regulations pressed ahead today Monday, February 28, 2022. The Rapid Result Initiative (RRI) is targeting vehicles operating with un-prescribed number plates, cars embedded with throb lights, and those with flashing lights without authorization.

Speaking when he led government officials along Mombasa road, Oguna laid a warning on drivers operating without uniform as well as those operating with expired or without PSV badges.

“The government aims at eradicating those vehicles with expired or without PSV badge, drivers operating without uniform and a driver’s license, as well as other violations, including operating uninsured motor vehicles, excess pillion passengers, worn-out tires, defective motor vehicles and those exceeding the speed limit,’’ said Oguna.

In his remarks, Oguna said that road safety is a shared responsibility by all road users and everyone should play their part to save lives. He urged boda boda operators to use reflective jackets and pedestrians not to use their phones on the road. Oguna urged members of the public to report incidences on the road to the National Police Service hotline and through the NTSA mobile application.

In a statement, Oguna lamented that the number of crashes on the highways is growing each year, and has led to huge losses to families and the country.

“There are families without a breadwinner, orphaned children; all because of highway crashes. The emotional and financial cost of this is immense, particularly when it is considered that a life lost can never be recovered. Losing a life of one Kenyan is a life too many,’’ he said.

The government spokesperson pointed out some of the causes of traffic crashes which include human error, speeding, the poor state of vehicles as well as reckless driving such as poor parking and overtaking.