Gov't vows stern action against rogue miraa drivers along Mwea-Embu Highway

Speaking on Thursday in Kerugoya during a Jukwaa La Usalama forum, Murkomen said miraa transport vehicles, often driven at dangerous speeds, pose a serious threat to residents of Kirinyaga and Embu counties.

The CS revealed that he had previously instructed the Eastern Regional Commissioner to convene a meeting with miraa drivers, but both the drivers and owners declined to attend.

“They refused to attend the meeting called by the Eastern Regional Commissioner. Now, let us deal with them ruthlessly and without fear,” Murkomen said, directing security officers to take decisive action.

Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru echoed the CS’s concerns, describing miraa-related accidents as a “disturbing menace” that threatens lives, particularly those of school-going children.

She disclosed that in the past year alone, 25 people had been killed in accidents involving miraa vehicles within Kirinyaga, with the number likely higher when fatalities from neighbouring counties are considered.

While acknowledging miraa as a perishable crop, Waiguru stressed that human lives must take precedence.

“A life lost for whatever reason is too much to bear. I propose broader stakeholder consultations to streamline the transport sector,” she said.

The governor further called for stringent measures, including rerouting miraa vehicles and enforcing the installation of speed governors, to restore order.

“Even if it means diverting routes or introducing speed governors in miraa vehicles, the government must stop at nothing to reform this sector,” Waiguru insisted.

Murkomen, in a swift directive, ordered the Kirinyaga County Traffic Commander to launch an immediate crackdown on overspeeding miraa vehicles. He instructed traffic officers to use every legal means available to restore sanity in the sector.

“We cannot tolerate overspeeding vehicles at the expense of people’s lives. There is no comparison between money and human life,” he emphasized.

Traffic police officers in Kerugoya, however, raised concerns over the challenges they face in enforcing traffic rules against miraa drivers, citing resistance and intimidation from the sector.