The National Traffic and Safety Authority (NTSA) has come up with new traffic rules that will see the offenders punished on the spot instead of being taken to courts. The punishment includes instant fines for perpetrators of traffic irregularities. Lots of lives have been lost due to reckless driving on our roads. Many have been left permanently impaired due to lifetime injuries. Kids have been orphaned due to preventable accidents which have robbed them of their parents. The move is aimed to stir drivers, owners of Public Service Vehicles and motorbike operators to observe the traffic rules.
Many have complained about the traffic system in the country. According to reports given by research bodies like Synovate, the traffic sector is depicted as the most corrupt in the country. Recently, a probe conducted on police bosses concerning the wealth they possess revealed ridiculous riches owned by police bosses which wasn’t on par with their salaries. Nevertheless, mobile transactions which could not be accounted for were traced.
This law, however, has not been taken lightly by some bodaboda operators in the county.
Mr. John Waswa, a bodaboda operator, indicates its just another way of siphoning money from them. “The law is unfair because some of us cannot raise the required money on spot with a hired motorbike,” he lamented.
John says that he gets Kshs. 500 per day of which Kshs. 300 goes to his boss, Kshs. 100 is for fuel then he is left with Kshs. 100 for himself.
Mr. Wechuli echoed the same views, adding that most operators do not have licences, and he, therefore, urged the government to train them first, and partially, if not fully, cater for their training fee. therefore urging the government to first of all train them by partially if not fully meeting their training fee. “Before they arrest because we don’t have licenses, let them first help us attain the required training level by taking care of part of the fee,” he said.
The same idea is supported by Moses, a 25-year-old single man who says corruption is now the air they breathe. He believes that everything today is all about “Kitu kidogo.” Adding that the move will only benefit the police officers.
However, some drivers in Bungoma County are a happy lot, terming the move as an attempt to reduce corruption on our roads. Wanjahi, a 14 seater driver, narrates how he has lost a lot of money to corrupt traffic officers.
“This is a good move, I urge NTSA to implement the rule with immediate effect.” he said.
According to him, traffic police body should be replaced with NTSA fully, stating that the police on our roads will always ask for bribes whether the car is in good condition or not contrary to NTSA.
Michael is another PSV operator in Bungoma, he supports the move fully terming it as a measure of fighting corruption.
“The rules should have been implemented earlier, we are tired of working for this corrupt traffic police officers,” he stated.