Matatu group calls for more talks on Traffic Bill

By Ally Jamah

Matatu Welfare Association (MWA) has asked President Kibaki not to assent the Traffic Amendment Bill.

The association threatened to go court if the Bill becomes law. MWA national chairman Dickson Mbugua said some aspects of the Bill are unacceptable such as a penalty of life imprisonment for drivers who cause death by dangerous driving.

“No driver in his sound mind would intentionally cause an accident or kill pedestrians. It is through mechanical breakdown or deplorable infrastructure or environmental hazards,” he said.

He added: “We are also seriously affected when accidents are caused. It is our contention that that we can curtail the phenomenon.”

administrative duties

Mbugua said they will write to the president to persuade him to return the Bill to the House for more consultation. He said that as industry players, they were not consulted when the amendments were being drafted.

Mbugua warned the provision allowing all law enforcement agencies to deal with traffic offenders and not just traffic police will heighten corruption in the industry as well as harassment of matatu operators.

“If the Bill is assented into law, you can be assured that all law enforcers will come to the roads to extort money. Other administrative duties will be abandoned in favour of traffic surveillance,” he said.

The official called for a comprehensive and sustained public education campaign for all road users including pedestrians and boda boda operators instead of focusing on public service vehicles. “Hefty penalties and punitive sentences to be meted out to violators of traffic rules and regulations are not a sustainable solution to high rates of accidents,” said MWA vice-chair John Katimbwa.

unroadworthy vehicles

Mbugua welcomed Kibaki’s Madaraka Day directive to police to crackdown on unroadworthy vehicles but feared that police may turn it into a chance to extort money from matatu operators.

He added: “Police should not crackdown on matatus without motor vehicle inspectors being present. We don’t want the game of intimidation and extortion to prevail.”

The association announced plans to unveil a national road safety campaign to sensitise road users on how to avoid road accidents.

They also called for comprehensive reforms in training and testing of drivers saying some driving schools are producing poorly trained drivers who end up causing major accidents.  “We need universal or international standard curriculum to be taught in all driving schools.

Currently, some offer 15 lessons in their curriculum while others have 35,” he said.