Murkomen speaks after NTSA officials impound tuk-tuk carrying excess passengers

"Needless to say it was dangerously overloaded," Murkomen said.

In Summary
  • In a video going viral on social media, the passengers were asked to alight as the NTSA officials counted them. 

  • When asked who the driver of the tuk-tuk was, the passengers reported that he had already fled.

Passenger alight a tuk tuk that was overloaded along the Kisumu-Nairobi highway
Passenger alight a tuk tuk that was overloaded along the Kisumu-Nairobi highway
Image: SCREENGRAB

Roads and Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen is calling on Kenyans to protest whenever they see a driver trying to overload a vehicle. 

Murkomen spoke after NTSA officials impounded a tuk-tuk meant to carry four passengers overloaded with up to eight passengers. 

"To all passengers, please don't encourage this kind of unsafe road behaviour by keeping quiet. Protest when you see a bus driver or a Tuk-tuk cyclist starting to overload," the CS said. 

Murkomen said the tuk-tuk was stopped by  NTSA and traffic police officers while carrying eight passengers instead of the recommended four on the Kisumu-Nairobi Road.

"Needless to say it was dangerously overloaded," Murkomen said. 

In a video going viral on social media, the passengers were asked to alight as the NTSA officials counted them. 

When asked who the driver of the tuk-tuk was, the passengers reported that he had already fled.

"I hope the cyclist, who fled the scene, will be made to face justice for his reckless behaviour," the CS said. 

"Let's stop risking lives on our roads. Remember that road safety is everyone's responsibility."

This comes after Murkomen on Monday launched tools to help curb accidents during the festive season.

The CS launched the tools under the Usalama Barabarani Festive Season Campaign.

He said the Kenya Highway Code and Learner Drivers’ Handbook will be freely distributed to promote responsible road use across the country.

"I urge all drivers, cyclists and pedestrians to familiarise themselves with the rules and be ambassadors of road safety while using the roads," he said.

"Over the last year, our collective effort has reduced road traffic fatalities. From January 1 to December 7, 2023, we witnessed a commendable 8.11 per cent decrease in lives lost due to road traffic injuries compared with the same period last year."

The CS said the number of road fatalities has gone down from 4,352 to 3,999.

He, however, said the reduction in deaths coincided with an increase in the number of seriously injured individuals.

The CS said the majority of road traffic incidents can be prevented by adhering to safety rules.

"About 90 per cent of accidents result from unsafe road user behaviour."

He called on Kenyans to support the government’s efforts to restore sanity on the roads during this festive season. 

CS Murkomen said that NTSA, in collaboration with the National Police Service, will intensify enforcement activities during the festive season, focusing on illegal PSVs. 

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