Police impound faulty vehicles on highway

THE government yesterday launched a major swoop on faulty vehicles on the Mombasa-Nairobi Highway. The crackdown follows a protest by residents of Bonje, an accident blackspot on the highway, over the traffic police's failure to curb road carnage. Several vehicles including buses, matatus and lorries were impounded for various defaults ranging from lack of speed governors, seat belts, and faulty wipers. Transport assistant minister Hassan Joho and Coast deputy provincial traffic enforcement officer Martin Kariuki led the operation which saw hundred of passengers’ journeys cut short.

However, the passengers and drivers of some of the vehicles protested the move saying it had inconvenienced them. They said although they welcomed the crackdown, it should have be done at the start of their journeys instead of being stopped on the highway. Among the passengers affected were those aboard Horizon Coach to Nairobi. The vehicle had faulty wipers among other problems. The driver of the bus, who declined to give his name, however, maintained that the vehicle was in good condition.