Security Team engages with road users on how to mitigate accidents and traffic snarl-ups

Teso,

Thursday, October 12, 2023

KNA by Absalom Namwalo

The Teso North security team led by DCC Stephen Wambura on Thursday engaged with transport stakeholders and customs officials from the busy Malaba border to develop measures that will mitigate accidents that have been on the rise in recent days.

The committee of road users has agreed to embrace a multi-sectoral approach in dealing with the menace that has seen more lives lost as a result of reckless driving and overlapping mainly from truck drivers and bodaboda operators.

According to DCC Wambura, some cartels from the police sector are colluding with truck drivers to aid them, putting other road users' lives at risk.

“We have been informed that some of our officers are aiding truck drivers to overlap, putting other road users at risk. We are already zeroing in on them and action will be taken,” noted Wambura.

In the past three months over 15 people have lost their lives between Kocholia and Malaba according to the police report at Malaba patrol base.

Wambura wants the parliament and court to amend traffic laws and deny drivers bond or cash bail, especially those found overlapping or driving recklessly risking other people's lives.

“Defying a police officer attracts a sum of Sh. 3000 on the spot. Overlapping and driving on the pedestrian sidewalk is punishable by paying Sh. 5000. This fine is too small for truck drivers who mock police officers after a court ruling. Let them just serve jail terms,” said the DCC.

Malaba border clears over 2,000 trucks in a day making Malaba One Stop Border Post (OSBP) the busiest border with 85% of the county's traffic within a day.

Wambura’s sentiments were echoed by Teso North bodaboda chairperson Hossein Okomole who urged KeNHA to increase the number of bumps and road signs as safety precaution to all road users along Bungoma Malaba highway.

“Most times boda bodas have been blamed for causing accidents yet from Bungoma to Malaba KeNHA has done very little in terms of road signs and bumps prompting drivers to overspeed,” said Hossein.

KRA officials on their side noted that already the government has invested at the customs offices to fasten the process of clearing and forwarding to boost revenue collections as well as reduce the time taken for truck clearing. 

With digital scanning machines in place, the revenue collection at the Malaba border has risen from Sh.5 billion per financial year three years ago, to the current over Sh. 15 billion in a financial year.

The office of Teso North MP has already initiated training for bodaboda operators to equip them with adequate skills and road safety knowledge to mitigate accidents.

Courtesy; KNA