Kenyans are still reeling from the pain and sense of helplessness following the horrific Fort Ternan bus accident in which 58 people lost their lives and dozen others were maimed in a tragedy which could have been avoided. Truth be told, they could not have died if their government cared.
The traffic police, the bus owners and the Sacco, the Ministry of Transport, the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) have blood on their hands. The buck stops at the desk of Transport Cabinet Secretary James Macharia. His docket has failed to return sanity on our roads.
The late Transport Minister John Michuki must have turned in his resting place on Wednesday night when the 58 souls were dispatched to the after world in one of Kenya’s worst road crashes. The authorities and the bus owners stand accused as the latter flouted all safety regulations in the book and up to now no public transport officer along that route has been held to account.
Instead, our leaders were quick to offer ‘crocodile tears’ through ‘heartfelt condolences’ to relatives and friends of the victims. They then pledged to pay hospital bills of survivors and vowed to punish those responsible. Meanwhile, public transport officials continue sleeping on the job, hoping there won’t be another road crash soon.
On the flipside, there are disciplined, courteous, honest, safety-minded transport companies and crew in Kenya that do not receive government support. The passengers are also aloof in safety matters and in some instances, they have urged drivers to speed, overlap and misbehave. Why are we so fatalistic? Can’t we respect the sanctity of life and instill discipline in all road users?
Law enforcement officers, road designers and contractors must put safety first. The bribes in form of Sh50 notes doled out at traffic road blocks go high up in the system and must be curtailed now. All roads must have proper markings and other safety features. All Kenyan drivers and motorists must pass safety tests and be subjected to regular checkups. It should not be business as usual.
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