Mobile courts return as state targets drunk drivers, speeding on Kenyan Roads
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The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA), working jointly with the National Police Traffic Department, has unveiled an intensified nationwide crackdown targeting drunk driving and widespread traffic violations as the festive season kicks off.
The renewed campaign will see the return of Alcoblow breathalyzer testing, enhanced speed surveillance, and the reinstatement of mobile courts—measures aimed at curbing the annual spike in road accidents recorded during Christmas and New Year celebrations.
Traffic Commandant Dr. Frederick Ochieng confirmed that enforcement operations will be more robust than in previous years, with increased focus on night patrols when most fatal crashes occur.
“Most traffic accidents happen at night, thus why we are shifting our focus to night vigils. We are going to use speed guns and Alcoblow,” said Dr. Ochieng.Mobile courts are set to resume across major highways to ensure swift handling of offenders. According to authorities, the on-the-spot judicial process is expected to eliminate loopholes that allow violators to escape penalties.
“We intend to reintroduce mobile courts and make justice quick. When you are arrested, you are convicted and sentenced immediately,” Dr. Ochieng added.In a first-of-its-kind anti-corruption initiative, the public will now be allowed to record and submit videos of traffic officers soliciting or receiving bribes. Citizens will share evidence through a toll-free line whose details will be displayed on major highways and public notice boards.
“We will have a toll-free number. You can record a traffic officer receiving a bribe and send it to that number, then we follow up,” he said.Despite the measures, road safety advocates are pushing for stricter oversight of long-distance trucks and boda boda operators, who they claim contribute to a significant proportion of fatal crashes across the country.
Road Safety Association of Kenya Chairperson David Njoroge Kiarie voiced concern over what he termed insufficient regulation of heavy commercial vehicles.
“Every accident involves long-distance trucks. They are the ones causing huge cases of deaths. And boda bodas… Lorries are not inspected. Something needs to be done. We have been complaining about this,” he said.The heightened enforcement follows alarming statistics showing 3,890 lives lost to road accidents by October this year—an increase of more than 85 deaths compared to the same period in 2023.
Authorities say the ongoing crackdown will run throughout the festive season with the hope of reversing the deadly trend and ensuring safer roads for holiday travelers.
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