President Kenyatta says traffic police to be reformed to end graft

President Uhuru Kenyatta with Matatu Owners Association chairman Simon Kimutai during a meeting with matatu owners and operators at State House, Nairobi, on July 27, 2017. PHOTO | PSCU

What you need to know:

  • The President also asked them to select people who will represent them in boards of transport-affiliated parastatals.
  • Matatu Owners Association chairman Simon Kimutai said they have agreed to back President Kenyatta’s re-election.

The government will reform the traffic police department to curb corruption as a move to lower transport costs, President Uhuru Kenyatta has said.

President Kenyatta said his administration is determined to streamline the transport sector to stop them from increasing fare to cover for money paid as bribes.

“I want to assure you that we are going to reorganise the traffic department in order to make it more accountable to users,” President Kenyatta told stakeholders in the matatu industry Thursday during a meeting at State House, Nairobi. The stakeholders were drawn from all parts of the country.

“We must get rid of the illegal collection of money by traffic police officers because that is part of what makes it expensive to travel,” the President added.

INTEGRITY

At the meeting that was also attended by Deputy President William Ruto, the President asked the matatu owners and operators to be disciplined as the government moves to ensure integrity in the transport sector.

The Head of State also spoke on his administration’s focus on improving infrastructure as a way of lowering transport costs and lifting the lives of Kenyans, saying criticism from the opposition will not distract him from acquiring loans for the construction of roads.

“For instance, recently we were in Wundanyi (Taita-Taveta) where one matatu operator thanked us for improving the road because now they can make two to three trips to Voi instead of one per day. Also, the transport cost has gone down from Sh 200 to Sh100,” President Kenyatta said.

BUS RAPID TRANSIT

He urged stakeholders in the transport industry to invest in the Bus Rapid Transit system (BRT), which the government is set to launch next year to decongest the city.

“We do not want foreigners to dominate the BRT. We want you to own and operate it,” President Kenyatta told the matatu owners and operators.

The President also asked them to select people who will represent them on boards of transport-affiliated parastatals so that their contribution and concerns can be factored in government decisions.

He urged them to mobilise support for Jubilee so that their partnership can continue to deliver benefits for Kenyans as it has done in the last four-and-a-half years.

Deputy President Ruto thanked the stakeholders in the transport industry for endorsing the Jubilee team.

Speaking after the meeting, Matatu Owners Association chairman Simon Kimutai said they have agreed to back President Kenyatta’s re-election.

Speaking at the MOA National Governance Council meeting at Oak Place Hotel, Mr Kimutai said the Jubilee government has created an enabling environment for them to do business, especially on the improvement of road infrastructure.