NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 22- A multi-agency team involving 5,000 prison wardens is set to embark on a major security operation to enforce traffic rules and other regulations during the Christmas and New Year festivities.
Commissioner-General of the Prison Service Wycliffe Ogallo said the prison warders have been gazetted as special officers under the National Police Service command.
Also involved are officers from the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA), who will be deployed to highways.
“As we deploy the officers, it is important to note that security starts with an individual, I, therefore, urge all officers and the citizens to work together and share all information that may assist us to preempt crimes,” the Prisons Commissioner General said.
Inspector-General of Police Hillary Mutyambai said public service vehicles that will defy traffic rules will have their licences revoked.
The new measures are aimed at reducing road accidents after fatalities in 2020 rose by9.4 percent.
“An analysis of the causes of the crashes continue to point at common road traffic offenses such as drink and driving, overloading, speeding, driver fatigue, use of unroadworthy vehicles, dangerous overtaking, lack of proper lane discipline freewheeling among other human controllable factors,” the IG told a media briefing on Tuesday.
By December 13, 3,663 people had died on Kenyan roads.
The operation shall entail impromptu checks on major highways to ensure the law is followed.
“To avoid inconveniences, we urge motorists and passengers to adhere to all road safety standards and requirements of the Traffic Act. Of special emphasis will be flagging out of illegal operations contrary to the Traffic Act such as overloading, use of un-prescribed identification plates, failure to use seatbelts, drink driving, use of unroadworthy vehicles, among others,” the police boss said.
He further said PSV operators should only operate on their licensed routes.
