Road users can expect stiff enforcement during this holiday season, with all government agencies, including the Judiciary and police, launching a coordinated initiative to cut road accidents and prevent loss of life.
Additionally, Chief Justice Martha Koome announced an enhanced presence of officers from the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA), the National Police Service, and officers from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) along with mobile courts along major highways.
While addressing a briefing, Koome stated that this will allow traffic culprits to be charged and processed immediately after being arrested, which she referred to as a deterrent and an immediate way to address increased road accidents during this holiday season.
“This is all about improving inter-agency coordination and sharing of information in order to have a collective and effective way of enforcing traffic rules and judicial matters during the festival season,” stated the Chief Justice.
The project is being driven by the National Council on the Administration of Justice (NCAJ) which is a 36-member organization, with Koome being the chair, comprising institutions such as the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), NTSA, Police, and the Judiciary.
As per the plan, the Judiciary will announce where exactly the mobile courts will operate and will make sure access to basic requirements is available to those charged, including contacting a lawyer.
Koome highlighted that this will be achieved with both physical and electronic methods and in collaboration with officers from ODPP, NTSA, EACC, KPS, and the Law Society of Kenya.
This is in light of a worrying increase in road accidents. As reported by the Chief Justice, in the first two weeks of December, a minimum of 28 people have lost their lives in road accidents, over half of which have occurred in the last two days.
NTSA will also increase the surveillance of high-risk corridors, with emphasis on adhering to mandated standards by motorists and public service vehicles, while EACC will employ officers to deal with corrupt activities on the roads.
“EACC officers will be on the ground to address both motorists and traffic police officers involved in corrupt activities,” Koome added, pointing out that corruption has derailed traffic enforcement efforts for a long time.
The Chief Justice emphasized that this is to promote fast processing of traffic cases, especially during a time when people travel a lot and goods move from one place to another in large numbers.
“We would like to make joint enforcement rationalized all over the country, especially in high-risk corridors, so traffic concerns can be addressed instantly,” she added. However, if these interventions work, they will be carried out not just during the festive season but in a move towards a stricter approach to road safety in Kenya.” Authorities indicated.