In Kenya, there are three major watchdogs of road safety: The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA), Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) and the Traffic Police. Despite this, the death rate on our Kenyan roads is alarming, clocking 3,000 deaths annually.
According to data from NTSA, so far we have lost 2,397 lives on Kenyan roads this year as of November 9. This includes pedestrians (907), passengers (575) motorcyclists (410) drivers (265) and pillion passengers (197).Yesterday was the world of remembrance for road traffic victims, in which Kenyans woke up to sad news of lives lost in Kenya’s worst black spot, Salgaa.
One of the watchdogs, the NTSA, was celebrating this day in Nakuru, 29 kilometres away. For once, I thought there were demons devouring Kenyan lives on this black spot, but I want to shift blame. It starts with our authorities, then drivers.
In an event that launched awards to matatu operators in Nairobi, NTSA Director General supported this theory that most accidents are caused by human behaviour. In his own words he said: “If we can moderate human behavior on our roads, we can reduce accidents by 85%.”
The words were motivating. It was an eye opener to all stake holders present, reflecting a glimpse of hope to curb the demon of road accidents. Out of experience of rogue behaviour by matatu operators who are sure of buying their way out of traffic police along OTC, St Peters, BS and other bus stops in the city, one of the journalists present asked Meja what they were doing to curb corruption in such instances. The Director snubbed the question and pretended not to get it clearly.
On clarifying the issue, the moderator of the day, Mr Duncan Muindi from Isuzu East Africa, warned the journalists to stick to the agenda of the day while asking questions. That was the end of question and answer session.
Being true to his duty, the journo later followed Meja to ask the same question. He dismissively told him to ‘go and ask the police’. The hope of safer roads faded away. It dawned on the journalist that the talk of ‘moderating human behaviour on our roads’ was an empty rhetoric, the reason the moderator talked of ‘sticking to the agenda of the day’.
Upon investigation by Business Today, it was discovered that whenever a traffic cop ‘arrests’ a matatu along OTC, St Peters and BS, they part with Ksh 200. If each of the cop ‘arrests’ 20 matatus, he is lucky to pocket Ksh 4,000. All in all, whatever percentage that goes to the bosses (if at all they give ‘tax’) is still unknown. However, working on daily basis at that rate, a single traffic officer will pocket Ksh120,000 monthly, assuming he works on daily basis.
READ: I’m not replacing Bob Collymore, says Vodafone Ghana CEO
From the above ordeal, there are two possibilities, that the NTSA is getting a share of what the traffic police are collecting in terms of bribes or, there is extremely bad blood between the two departments. The first assumption is most probable.
Out of Nairobi, the same happens. Sometimes back, the media covered the arrest of traffic officers collecting bribes. Whatever happened to them up to date still remains unknown. I feel that this was a stage-managed event for PR purposes. I want to guess that the officers were released immediately after arrest, and that nothing transpired. Otherwise if it was not stage-managed, how coincidental was it that the media arrived there to cover the arrests? To me it was a warning to the traffic police department that if they did not submit the ‘tax’ to NTSA they would spoil the game. Seemingly, they have complied.
With such compromised authorities, we have no option other than watch and wail and more blood sheds on our roads. Police officers will let go rogue drivers because of Ksh 50. The NTSA will pretend not to see corrupt officers because of a Ksh 20 ‘tax’ they get. The end result? More than 3,000 are lost in grisly road accidents. Traffic officers become rich and even buy PSVs, that remain untouchable on the roads because they belong to ‘our colleague’. NTSA officers become arrogant to an extend of dismissing serious concerns just like Meja.
What started out as a promising article quickly deteriorated to gutter-press levels. No facts, a lot of conjecture and no sources. I respect this website for its business articles and I’m disappointed to find this mediocre piece here.
Please, maintain your hitherto high standards.