NTSA crackdown nets over 100 traffic offenders in South Rift and Nyanza

 

The wreckage of a trailer that caused an accident at Kikopey in Gilgil, Nakuru County on January 3, 2026 along Nairobi-Nakuru Highway being ferried. Six people died in the accident after the trailer hit a Matatu at the back.[Daniel Chege,Standard]

Traffic enforcement operations by the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) and police has netted over 100 traffic offenders in the South Rift and Nyanza regions, according to a police report.

The two state agencies intensified a crackdown across the two regions as schools reopened on Monday, following a spike in road accidents recorded during the festive season.

More than ten vehicles ferrying foreign tourists to and from  Maasai Mara Game Reserve were among those found violating traffic regulations.

They were intercepted at a traffic monitoring (TM) roadblock along the Narok–Bomet highway.

Most of the drivers were found to have tampered with speed governors and were operating with expired insurance and driving licenses.

According to Operation Commander John Enyamal from police headquarters, the multi-agency operation, which began on December 23, has focused on South Rift, Nyanza and South Nyanza regions. The team camped in Narok for two days, during which over 100 traffic offenders were penalized.

Enyamal said the operation covered Isbania along the Kenya–Tanzania border, Homa Bay in South Nyanza, Kisii, Bomet and Narok along the Bomet–Narok–Mai Mahiu highway.

Offenders were charged with overspeeding, defective speed governors and failure to comply with insurance requirements.

Some were issued with cash bail, while those involved in serious offences were arraigned in court.

“In Bomet, we recorded 14 cases involving defective speed governors, overspeeding and expired insurance. In Narok, 33 vehicles were seized over the last two days, while 19 offenders were arrested at the Ntulele roadblock in Narok East,” said Enyamal.

He was speaking during a presser at TM roadblock in Narok accompanied by Narok Base Commander Julius Poghiso and NTSA officers from headquarters in Nairobi and Nakuru.

Enyamal noted that the legal speed limit along the busy Bomet–Narok–Nairobi highway is 100 kilometres per hour, yet several vehicles were found traveling at speeds exceeding 140 kilometres per hour.

“All those intercepted were issued with cash bail and will be arraigned before the Narok Law Courts on various dates depending on the offences committed,” he added.

The intensified crackdown follows a worrying rise in road accidents across the country during the Christmas and New Year festivities, a period traditionally marked by heavy travel, reckless driving, speeding and drunk driving.

During the holiday season, several fatal crashes were reported across different regions, with dozens of lives lost as motorists took to major highways.

Authorities attributed most of the accidents to overspeeding, driving under the influence of alcohol, fatigue and non-compliance with traffic regulations.

Enyamal revealed that over the New Year period alone in his operation area, more than 50 drivers were arrested and their vehicles impounded after being found driving under the influence of alcohol.

“We had alcohol testing kits deployed at all roadblocks along various roads in the region, and many motorists were nabbed after alcohol was detected in their systems,” he said.

The Narok–Bomet highway is considered one of the most dangerous roads in the region due to numerous accident black spots.

Narok town also experiences heavy congestion as it is served by a single main road, prompting renewed calls for the construction of a bypass.

Most of the tourist vehicles impounded were found to have expired insurance cover, invalid driving licences and tampered speed governors.

Tour drivers carrying foreign nationals were issued with cash bail and court summons to allow continuity of travel for their passengers.