Traffic police to arrest, charge notorious drivers of government vehicles

 

Nairobi: Traffic police officers in Kenya have been instructed to arrest and charge drivers of government vehicles flouting traffic rules.

The vehicles include those of Cabinet Secretaries, Principal Secretaries, parastatal bosses and even county bosses that have been notorious with the offences.

Deputy Inspector General of Kenya Police Joel Kitili said they have been receiving complaints about some of the vehicles that overlap and cause accidents with impunity with no justification hence the need for action.

“No one is above the law. The drivers carrying VIPs who are in a hurry know what to do and how. I have reminded the traffic officers of their duties that those flouting the rules should be charged without fear or favour,” he said.

Kitili said the only vehicles allowed to overlap in case of traffic jams are ambulances, fire engines and police cars responding to emergencies.

He added Kenya is a country governed by laws that must be followed irrespective of one’s status.

Kitili said they had received reports some of the drivers cause accidents and escape from the scenes because they are on the wrong.

Traffic officers were summoned by their respective commanders and ordered to stop and arrest drivers of the vehicles flouting the rules on the road without fear or favour.

Kitili also warned motorists not to block police vehicles, ambulances or fire engines responding to emergency calls.

He cited the law, which directs that emergency vehicles with blaring sirens have right of way. He said Traffic Act Cap 403, Section 119 stipulates that “every driver shall upon hearing of any gong, bell (other than a bicycle) or siren indicating the approach of a police vehicle, ambulance, fire engine at once give such vehicle right of way and if necessary pull his/her vehicle to the side of the road until it has passed”.

He said he has noticed a number of motorists block the said vehicles, some of which could be responding to emergencies.

Owners of hearses have also been told that the only persons allowed to flash or wail roof beacons (sirens) are drivers of police vehicles, ambulances and fire engines.

Former police boss Hussein Ali had banned the funeral vehicles from using sirens.