On Thursday, the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Eliud Lagat, announced a series of changes within the National Police Service, including the appointment of a new traffic commandant.
Fredrick Ochieng, formerly the Rift Valley regional police commander and recently at the National Counter Terrorism Centre since March 2022, has been named the new commandant, taking over from Mary Omari.
In other changes, Jecinta Muthoni, the director of personnel at the Kenya Police Service headquarters, has been reassigned to the Kenya National Focal Point. Catherine Mugwe, previously a staff officer for training at police headquarters, will replace her.
Additionally, five heads of provincial traffic formations were reassigned. Notably, Paul Chirchir replaces retiring Vitalis Otieno as Nairobi’s provincial traffic officer. Similar movements occurred in the Rift Valley, Eastern, and Central regions.
Officials described these changes as routine, aimed at improving police operations, particularly within the vital traffic department, which plays a key role in national safety.
The changes come in response to a troubling increase in road accidents, with calls for action to address this trend. Corruption within the traffic department has been identified as a significant issue.
According to recent National Police Service statistics, 3,369 people died in road accidents from January to September 16, 2024, compared to 3,151 fatalities during the same period in 2023, marking an increase of 218. The highest fatalities were among pedestrians, with 1,281 deaths, followed by 802 motorcyclists and 654 passengers.
Recent accidents have underscored the urgency of the situation, including a weekend incident in Kwale that resulted in the deaths of five pillion passengers.
Deputy Inspector General of Police Gilbert Masengeli expressed concern over the rising trend in road traffic accidents, emphasizing the need for public adherence to traffic regulations to reduce fatalities. “We have observed a distressing increase in road traffic accidents nationwide,” he stated during a meeting with traffic officials.
Masengeli highlighted corruption as a major factor contributing to the problem, noting the suffering of families affected by these incidents. He pointed out that thousands of injured individuals require critical care, which can be costly.
The recent meeting focused on addressing road safety issues and combating corruption within the Traffic Unit. Masengeli urged the public to prioritize road safety and comply with traffic laws to help reduce the number of fatalities.
With these developments, there is a renewed commitment to enhancing road safety protocols and ensuring stricter enforcement of traffic regulations. Public cooperation is deemed essential in reversing the current trend of tragic accidents.
Masengeli advised pedestrians to be mindful of illegal crossings for their safety, and the National Transport and Safety Authority cited leading causes of fatal crashes as hit-and-runs, tire bursts, loss of vehicle control, and improper overtaking, contributing to the annual toll of over 4,000 deaths from accidents.
