Kiambu County government has introduced traffic marshals within major towns, markets and streets in efforts to end traffic snarl-ups that have been a headache during rush hours.
The officers who were introduced last week will come in handy in bringing order in the towns after complaints from residents over persistent traffic congestion and disorderly drivers in the County.
During his address to his staff in Thika town this week, Kiambu Governor Kimani Wamatangi said they have identified 31 spots, mostly markets and major highways within the County where the officers will be placed.
He said the growing county’s population and its interaction with Nairobi City in areas of trade or otherwise has made it busy leading to the huge snarl-ups during rush hours as people move in and out of the county.
The governor said the officers will work closely with traffic police and will be expected to observe professionalism in their duties.
He identified Makongeni market in Thika, Githurai market, Kahawa Sukari and major bus stages where the marshals will be deployed as vehicles take hours to get in and out of those areas.
“Movement in our towns during rush hours has always been stagnant, especially in areas not manned by traffic police. This has informed our decision to introduce traffic marshals to help direct traffic and bring order in the towns and help save time on our roads,” said Wamatangi.
Matatu operators in Thika have welcomed the move saying they no longer take a lot of time to get out of the main stage to their various routes. Led by Daniel Kimani, they said the officers have brought order at the main stage, a boost to helping passengers arrive at their destinations in time.
“We used to take more than 30 minutes to get out of the main stage. The area was disorderly and bred muggers who would snatch mobile phones from passengers due to the slow moving vehicles,” said Kimani.
By Muoki Charles
