- Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki raised concerns over the increase in road fatalities in the country.
- The CS noted that deaths from road accidents are competing with those of serious epidemics.
Image: FILE
All Public Service Vehicles and heavy commercial drivers will undergo retesting, Transport CS Kipchumba Murkomen has said.
The CS said the directive, which was to be implemented earlier, had been postponed after an outcry from the sector stakeholders.
"It will now be implemented without further delay. All stakeholders are expected to comply and cooperate," he said in a statement on Tuesday.
The CS added that the National Transport and Safety Authority will put in place measures for implementing medical testing of all drivers.
This is as required by section 105A(1) and (2) and Rule 30(4) of the Traffic (Driving Schools, Driving Instructors and Driving License) Rules 202.
According to the rules, the move will ensure that only medically fit drivers are licensed to drive.
CS Murkomen further stated that the National Police Service and NTSA will intensify the ongoing nationwide enforcement.
He said police will impound all unroadworthy vehicles and those not integrated with the road safety management system to transmit speed limiter data.
Murkomen said that ahead of the Easter festivities, Kenyans are urged to be cautious about their safety and the safety of others to prevent the needless loss of lives.
"We approach the Easter festivities and closing of schools, we shall be working closely with the NPS and monitoring the enforcement of traffic laws and regulations," Murkomen said.
This comes at a time when Kenyans have witnessed a surge in road accidents.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki raised concerns over the increase in road fatalities in the country.
The CS noted that deaths from road accidents are competing with those of serious epidemics.
"We had COVID-19, a terrible epidemic in two years, and the people who died out of the pandemic were over 4,000. Yet in one year alone 4,324 died out of crashes. This means that this problem is worse than the pandemics," Kindiki stated.
NTSA announced on June 20, 2023, that periodic retest will be mandatory, conducted every three years before a driver renews their license.
These classes comprised drivers of commercial and school buses, matatus, and taxis.
The re-tests were to be conducted in all NTSA Driver Test Units and drivers will be required to apply online via their e-citizen account at a fee of Sh 1,050.
In October 2023, the CS suspended the retesting of commercial and public service vehicles (PSVs) for three months.
Murkomen said that the extension would offer his ministry adequate time to reach a consensus with stakeholders regarding the retesting of the drivers.