Kisii Governor James Ongwae has asked traffic police to be vigilant and arrest errant drivers who are fond of violating traffic rules in major roads.
Ongwae who was addressing a crowd at Daraja Moja, moments after a grisly road accident that involved a matatu and a lorry in which five people died on Tuesday, said the police carried the highest responsibility in ensuring all road users abide by the set traffic rules.
The county boss wondered why accidents were taking place in the region despite the high number of police checks in all roads leading to Kisii Town.
“I am worried that many people are losing their lives due to road accidents. We have many road blocks and traffic police should seize the opportunity and do thorough checks to ensure we have qualified drivers, and the vehicles being used are in a good condition,” he said.
He urged the traffic police to crackdown on drivers using unroadworthy vehicles, and called on drivers to be cautious when using roads in the region.
“I am not blaming our police but I think they should do a lot more. They should arrest those using vehicles that are not properly maintained because most of these accidents occur as a result of poor maintenance of our vehicles, which can otherwise be detected by the police. Also, drivers must take responsibility and ensure they observe traffic rules,” he added.
He said the county leadership will cater for medical expenses of the injured passengers, as well as the burial expenses for the victims.