Kenyans blame matatu drivers, Murkomen for increased road accidents » Capital News
NAIROBI Kenya May 2- Public transport drivers and Transport Cabinet Secretary have emerged as entities deemed to be highly responsible for the majority of road accidents, witnessed on Kenyan roads this year.
A survey released by Trends and Insights For Africa (TIFA), found that 29 percent of the respondents believe matatus and bus drivers attributed to the traffic incidents.
Murkomen polled at 25%, Traffic Police Unit (12%), National Traffic Safety Authority (6%), and Kenya National Highways Authority (3%).
A survey which was conducted between April 27 and Apil 29, targeted 2,912 respondents across 9 zones. It was conducted via telephone with respondents whose contacts were collected face to face.
In recent years, the traffic police and the government transport sector have faced scrutiny amidst a rise in road accidents.
Transport, Kipchumba Murkomen recently refuted allegations that his ministry is to blame for the increasing number of traffic accidents that have claimed hundreds of lives.
“So many people are obsessed with the Transport Cabinet Secretary, every time anything happens, they ask, where is the minister? People even enter into an overloaded vehicle and they take videos and pictures and ask, where is Murkomen? He has failed. Murkomen has failed,” CS Murkomen said.
He advised the public to focus their ire on NTSA and the Traffic Police Department, stating that both organizations are in charge of maintaining traffic safety.
The CS further ordered all Public Service Vehicles and heavy commercial vehicle drivers will now undergo mandatory medical re-testing.
Only those proven to be medically fit will be issued with new licences, or allowed to drive.
He stated that National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) will also return to the road, in a bid to ensure sanity.
President William Ruto directed the Ministry of Transport to cut down the number of road accidents by fifty per cent.
In 2024, at least 255 passengers lost their lives in road crashes compared to 211 in 2023 and 98 drivers also lost their lives which is a decrease compared to 20 recorded in 2023.
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