A motorist undergoes an alcoblow test. The NTSA has vowed to carry on with its anti-drunk driving operations despite the breathalyzer ban by the appeal court. [Photo/CapitalFM]
The National Traffic and Safety Authority (NTSA) has vowed to continue safeguarding Kenyan roads from drunk drivers even after the court issued a ban on use of the breathalyzers to charge drunk driving.
According to the authority's Director General Francis Meja,in an interview with NTV in his office Monday, the ban will not deter the authority from doing it's job.
''The ruling will not stop us from checking on drunk driving. We will continue ensuring that law breakers are arrested and prosecuted,'' said Meja who also maintained that the ruling made on April 7 was inconsistent.
''There are some inconsistencies that the court did not point out and we are looking at. However, that does not mean that all the operations we have been undertaking have been invalidated. We will carry on,'' he said.
In the ruling,the 3 court of appeal judges (Festus Azangalala, GBM Kariuki and Fatuma Sichale) said that the use of alcoblow to charge drunk drivers by the NTSA is wrong and should be taken to parliament for review.
The court further said that drunk driving suspects should be tried under Traffic rules and not Alcoblow rules, further clarifying that alcoblow can only be used to measure the level of drunkenness but cannot be used to charge the suspect.