State agencies to blame for spike in road accidents, Motorists Association says

Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir on Monday said his ministry has launched nationwide “safety audits” and inspections at accident-prone road segments to identify hazards, reconstruct crash scenes, and propose technical recommendations within seven days.

While Chirchir is of the opinion that road crashes are “preventable if all road users play their part” the Motorists Association of Kenya (MAK) has placed blame on government agencies. 

The motorists, in a statement to newsrooms, said the government is putting “a display of knee-jerk PR stunts” yet state agencies continue to enable disregard of traffic rules. 

The association said agencies such as the National Transport Safety Authority (NTSA) are doing little to address the major concerns of road safety from the public.

They accused the agencies of taking “protection money” to overlook point blank violation of traffic laws and regulations, staging media appearances to blame all parties but themselves as well as issuing “empty” statements and that by omission and commission, they are directly responsible for the needless fatalities on the roads.

MAK also called out NTSA for issuing licenses to drivers deemed incompetent and then blaming them for accidents and later conduct “sham” road and vehicle inspections where they take bribes. 

“The BBC has exposed how driving licenses are obtained through the NTSA and driving schools without the required skills. The same investigation revealed that many commercial vehicles never undergo genuine inspection. The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission has reported that law enforcers extort motorists to the tune of Kshs. 3 billion every month,” noted MAK.

The association also faults Roads ministry for failing to take action on poor infrastructural designs such as the Coptic Roundabout in Kisumu which is a commonly known for accidents. They also point roads in Ruiru, Mutindwa, Moredat and Dandora among those with fatal accidents despite the costs for routine fixes and maintenances.

MAK also condemned Kenya Railways for failing to put in place barriers at rail crossings.