The National Council on the Administration of Justice (NCAJ) has outlined a stepped-up traffic enforcement plan in reaction to increased fatalities in road accidents all over the country as the traveling trend goes up before the holidays.
At the Supreme Court, the NCAJ meeting comprising Chief Justice Martha Koome, police commanders, prosecutors, transport regulators and anti-corruption agencies, discussed a coordinated approach that would be used to control road carnage during the festive period and even after that.
The decision was met with data from the official authorities revealing a five percent rise in the number of deaths caused by traffic accidents this year, causing fear in the justice and transport sectors, as well as among the citizens of Kenya, who are about to embark on holiday travels in large numbers.
Comparing the increase in the road accident cases and the HIV pandemic, the Chief Justice felt the need to call all the enforcement officers to join hands with the road users in halving the worrisome trend that is going on.
Furthermore, she affirmed traffic infringements not only by killing people but also by overloading the justice system and the economy.
As a means to quell criticism stemming from corrupt practices in law enforcement relating to traffic, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has made a decision to position its officers along the main roads to observe traffic enforcement operations and prevent bribery activities involving both motorists and law enforcement officers.
The officials declared that although the measures will be strict, they will also be fair as they promise the public that the main objective is to protect lives and not to place unnecessary hindrances to the festive journeys. They also said that the principles of professionalism and integrity would be their guide in all their enforcement activities.
The government has stationed several frontliners on the road to fight against road fatalities. They are supposed to reinforce law enforcement in the traffic sector by rallying the public to comply with the traffic regulations, avoid speeding and drunk driving, inform in case of any violations, and report misconduct of the officers through designated toll-free numbers
