Amnesty International Thursday called on the police to withdraw the directive banning private cars from ferrying passengers, saying this was a violation of human rights.
The organisation said the decision by traffic police officers to use National Identification (ID) cards to net motorists who are carrying passengers in their private vehicles was wrong.
Amnesty International Kenya Country Director Justus Nyangaya demanded the withdrawal of the directive, noting that it violates the constitutional rights of Kenya citizens and it has no legal basis.
The Standard yesterday exclusively reported how the police are using IDs to nab owners of private vehicles found ferrying fare-paying passengers along the Nairobi-Nakuru highway.
Over 20 motorists were arrested on Wednesday along the Mai Mahiu-Naivasha-Nakuru and Mai Mahiu-Narok roads after the IDs of those found in cars showed that they were not related.
"Motorists do not always travel with family members only. A motorist can travel with friends, neighbours or acquaintances drawn from across ethnic lines," said Nyangaya.
The Amnesty International boss observed that he is in agreement that private cars should not operate as PSVs because they lack the authority to do so, but stressed that traffic officers should be alive to the fact that a motorist cannot travel with their relatives alone.
Meanwhile, the Association of Kenya Insurers (AKI) has cautioned private vehicle owners who decide to ferry a passengers at a fee, warning that they do so at their own risks in the event an accident occurs.
AKI Chief Executive Officer Tom Gichuhi said those paying to board private vehicles face a risk because such vehicles have no insurance cover for passengers.
"A private vehicle that has been insured should be particularly used for personal purposes and not for ferrying passengers at a fee," he said.
He said the owner of such a vehicle who contravenes the cover taken by ferrying fare-paying passengers that they would be forced to compensate them in the event of an accident.
The Standard Group Plc is a
multi-media organization with investments in media platforms spanning newspaper
print operations, television, radio broadcasting, digital and online services. The
Standard Group is recognized as a leading multi-media house in Kenya with a key
influence in matters of national and international interest.
join