Coast Regional Commissioner John Elungata has decried the rising cases of daily deaths from motor cycle accidents that have surpassed that of other known causes of death in the coast region.
Speaking during a regional development implementation coordination committee in Mombasa Friday, Elungata noted that the National Police Service and National Transport and safety Authority (NTSA) have taken note of the alarming figures and vowed to intensify crackdowns on incompetent motorcyclists in an effort to bring the figures down.
The Regional Commissioner directed a thorough crackdown on those flouting traffic code calling on motorcyclists, Tuktuk and other road users to adhere to rules and save the lives of members of public using these alternative means of transport to complement PSVs especially during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Elungata called on speedy resumption of safety clinics by NTSA with the boda boda riders’ prosecution of traffic offenders to bring justice to the accident victims to resume their normal lives and get due compensation.
“Most boda boda riders train themselves on the road and get driving licenses without formal training endangering their customers,” said Elungata
He particularly took issue with the Kilifi-Malindi road where the cases were alarmingly high as well as Tana River, and Mombasa.
He advised NTSA not to collect the daily statistics but engage in ways to reduce the loss of lives from the daily carnages on the roads.
Commissioner Elungata said plans were complete to have Huduma centers have a desk for NTSA for issuing smart licenses as the old ones are phased away.
Other causes of accidents identified included incompetence, overlapping and condition of the roads where some were narrow.
By Joseph Kamolo
