Dramatic scenes unfolded in Kisumu on
Friday
morning as traffic police and matatu operators engaged in a cat and mouse chase in residential estates causing panic among residents.
The clampdown almost turned tragic when one of the matatus veered off the road and narrowly avoided running over children in a nearby playground.
Police heightened the crackdown on errant public transport operators after receiving a tip-off that some of drivers were using pedestrian walks to get to town to avoid dragnets on major highways.
The officers mounted road blocks on the walks, catching the operators by surprise and forcing them to speed off.
Residents were unhappy with the chase but urged the traffic officers to rein in on errant matatu operators and restore sanity on the roads.
Nyanza regional police boss Leonard Katana on Friday said they had recorded nearly 2,000 traffic-related cases since the crackdown began on
Monday. Some 181 drivers and 120 passengers were arrested.
Katana said every motorist will be inspected, including Probox operators and private vehicle owners. He urged passengers to corporate by complying with traffic rules.
“We are happy to see several passenger vehicles back on the roads. We don’t have a problem with them because they have complied with the regulations. I want to assure [residents] that the crackdown will continue until order is restored on our roads,” Katana said.