President William Ruto and other officials during the launch of the National Road Safety Action Plan 2024 -2028 at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre in Nairobi
President William Ruto announced on April 17, 2024, that those who violate traffic laws and cause deaths and injuries will face severe consequences.
According to Ruto, road negligence must stop, and road safety measures must be enhanced, including the adoption of modern technologies to enhance traffic violation monitoring and the introduction of instant fines.
President Ruto stated that no one will be exempted from road safety compliance and that the government is dealing with corruption among traffic police officers because the vice causes them to turn a blind eye to speeding and reckless driving, resulting in accidents.
"Our justice, law and order agencies must coordinate and sustain robust law enforcement by ensuring that offenders are detected, apprehended, prosecuted and punished swiftly and transparently," he said.
He made the remarks during the National Road Safety Action Plan 2024 -2028 launch at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre in Nairobi.
Ruto said the plan's launch will facilitate a multi-sectoral approach to road safety.
“The government is committed to supporting the implementation of the National Road Safety Action Plan by providing resources, addressing legal and regulatory gaps and enhancing the capacity of the National Police Service,” he said.
The Kenyan leader called for stronger collaboration between the National Transport and Safety Authority and the police's Traffic Department in implementing the safety action plan.
He said the plan must reduce accidents, deaths, and related injuries by 50 per cent in the next year.
“The number of road accidents must come down. It is my expectation that we will be the administration that will deal with this challenge,” he said.
President Ruto pointed out that road accidents were overwhelming hospitals with high numbers of critical injuries.
He said the government is working with development partners to improve road infrastructure and revamp road safety in the country.
He pledged that the government will enhance safety awareness campaigns to nurture a national culture of safety and responsible road usage.
Furthermore, he urged the public to contribute to road safety by playing their part.
“Evading inspection, neglecting vehicle safety maintenance, reckless behaviour on the road and paying bribes to avoid accountability are serious forms of contributory misconduct, which must be punished,” he added.
