The departure of Roads and Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen should trigger a comprehensive overhaul of the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) to address the rampant road accidents that claim lives daily, road safety advocacy groups have urged.
Welcoming President William Ruto’s dismissal of Murkomen following weeks of intense demonstrations led by Gen-Z, the groups called for the dissolution of the current NTSA board and the establishment of a new management team.
Kenya Road Safety Association Chairman David Kiarie attributed the surge in road carnage to a lack of commitment to safety and a culture of corruption allegedly tolerated by the dismissed CS.
Accompanied by Road Safety and Speed Governors Association acting Secretary General John Mutisya, Kiarie emphasized the need for decisive action after previous pleas were ignored.
The groups also called for the reinstatement of the former NTSA board under Chairman Aden Noor, which Murkomen removed after it initiated a probe into Director General George Njao.
Murkomen had replaced the board with one led by Manoj Shah of Kingsway Tyres, including new members Johnson Losilian, Paul Posho, and Lilian Mogendi, after revoking the appointments of Omar Haji, Charles Nyabuto, and Simon Kalekem.
“With Murkomen’s exit, we need a thorough clean-up of NTSA’s management to restore order on our roads and reduce the death toll, which has surpassed 4,000 in just six months,” Kiarie said. “All senior directors and management officials, including those at vehicle inspection centres, should be dismissed for incompetence and corruption. We recommend reinstating the previous board headed by Noor.”
Kiarie added that the next Roads CS should be a professional with a strong commitment to road safety measures, preferably an engineer. He also suggested reinstating former NTSA Director General Francis Meja as Principal Secretary, citing his dedication to safety during his tenure.
Mutisya echoed these sentiments, urging the President to swiftly implement changes at the NTSA. “A wind of change is blowing across Kenya, with even the Inspector General resigning. This change should extend to the NTSA, whose management has been complacent as accidents continue to claim lives,” he said.
Their remarks came after 12 people perished in a road accident along Garissa Road last Friday, just days after another crash near Kenol on the Thika-Nyeri highway killed four people. The safety officials warned that the trend would continue unless drastic measures are taken to reverse it.