The recent departure of Roads and Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has sparked calls from road safety advocacy groups for a comprehensive overhaul of the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA). These groups argue that Murkomen’s exit is an opportunity to address the severe road safety issues plaguing Kenya, which have resulted in a significant number of fatalities.
David Kiarie, Chairman of the Kenya Road Safety Association, has highlighted the urgent need for a thorough clean-up of NTSA’s management, attributing the high incidence of road accidents to a lack of commitment to safety and pervasive corruption under Murkomen’s tenure. He, along with John Mutisya, acting Secretary General of the Road Safety and Speed Governors Association, stressed the necessity of reinstating the previous NTSA board led by Chairman Aden Noor. This board was removed by Murkomen after it initiated an investigation into Director General George Njao.
Murkomen had replaced this board with one led by Manoj Shah of Kingsway Tyres, alongside new members Johnson Losilian, Paul Posho, and Lilian Mogendi, following the dismissal of Omar Haji, Charles Nyabuto, and Simon Kalekem.
Kiarie and Mutisya are calling for the dismissal of all senior NTSA directors and management officials, especially those at vehicle inspection centers, due to incompetence and corruption. They recommend reinstating former NTSA Director General Francis Meja as Principal Secretary and appointing a professional with a strong commitment to road safety, preferably an engineer, as the next Roads CS.
Their calls come in the wake of tragic road accidents, including a recent crash on Garissa Road that claimed 12 lives, and another near Kenol on the Thika-Nyeri highway, resulting in four deaths. These incidents underscore the urgent need for reform at the NTSA to curb the alarming trend of road fatalities.
The advocacy groups are urging President William Ruto to implement these changes swiftly, emphasizing that decisive action is necessary to prevent further loss of life on Kenya’s roads.
