Drivers risk having their licences suspended if they are caught speeding, overlapping or tampering with speed governors during Easter holidays.
Traffic Commandant Samuel Kimaru on Thursday said officers will be extra-vigilant to prevent fatal accidents that are frequent during the festive season.
The department embarked on a countrywide crackdown targeting PSVs ahead of the Easter period. Owners of the defective vehicles will be charged, he said.
Passengers were stranded along the Nairobi-Nakuru highway after drivers were arrested for breaking traffic laws.
Kimaru told the press in Naivasha after launching the crackdown that the operation will be extended to government vehicles.
“We have directed our officers to confiscate driving licenses of drives who are speeding and overlapping. The offenders will be suspended from operating on our roads," he said.
Kimaru warned drunken drivers, he said they would be arrested. Drivers who also ferry passengers on routes they are not assigned to will face the law.
“During the festive season, drivers mainly in major towns have the habit of changing routes. Some of them even go upcountry. Some of these drivers cause accidents because they do not know the routes. We shall not tolerate this," he said.
Kimaru said the majority of fatal accidents happen at night mainly on busy highways.
“Traffic officers will operate even at night. We will also target government vehicles. We are going to arrest people irrespective of their status,” he said.
A stranded passenger Francis Njihia praised the crackdown. He said the police are doing a good job of keeping our roads safe.
“Though our journey has been delayed, we support this crackdown. Many lives will be saved,” he said.
Another passenger Boniface Wambugu, who was heading to Nakuru from Nairobi, however, disagreed. He said the swoop is a waste of time.
“We have spent over three hours on this spot due to this exercise that has been poorly organised,” he said.
Edited by Pamela Wanambisi
