Restoring Sanity to the Roads?

From 2005-2008 I saw the matutu (public service vehicles) industry gradually disregard the "Michuku Rules".

The Michuki rules, introduced in 2004, demanded that "all Public Service Vehicle be fitted with speed governors, which limits legal cruise speed at 80 km/h and safety belts. The PSVs are also required to have a yellow band for easy identification. The driver and his conductor must also display their photos and wear specific uniforms."

Traveling by matatu in Kenya is Dangerous and is becoming more so. At present, "nearly 300 people are killed in road accidents across Kenya monthly", the Daily Nation reports.

"Each year, the country records more than 13,000 accidents, 85 per cent of which are due to human error, the rest are due to poor roads and vehicles," an editorial in The Standard reports. "In the region, only Uganda and Ethiopia have worse records for fatalities compared with vehicle population. A British study ranked Kenya fifth globally in fatality rates. The carnage claims 2,000 to 3,000 people: It was 2,264 in 2004, a low attributed in part to the introduction of the ‘Michuki Rules’. It fell further to 1,670 in 2006, following the launch of an international ‘Think Before You Drive’ campaign, before it rose steadily, hitting 2,530 in 2007 and a high of 2,893, last year. We seem to be on course to cross the 3,000 mark with the spate of new accidents, some attributed to speeding on the newly repaired highways."

New Police Commissioner Mathew Iteere announced a new plan to crackdown on matatus, enforcing the 'Michuki Rules', and indeed the crackdown has begun in Nairobi, where many matatus were impounded.

These types of crackdowns were also common in 2007, though they had little effect on improving conditions. Instead, many matatu operators would pull their un-compliant vehicles from the roadways, waiting for the police operation to end. What this did is make traveling difficult, since fewer vehicles would be transporting people.

The crackdown must not only take place in Nairobi. Many routes, such as Meru-Isiolo, are well paved and downhill, making them extremely dangerous. The drivers on the many of these routes, especiallyMeru-Isiolo, also chew lots of miraa, a leafy stimulant, that makes them prone to take additional risks.

If the police want to make this work they will have to continue this 'crackdown' for an extended period of time, all over Kenya, and addressing the issue of miraa! Meanwhile they must weather complaints from citizens who rely on matatus for their transportation needs. It would be nice if matatu owners would comply with the rules for the good of everyone, but if the politicians won't, why should anyone?

Read the articles:
Police Launch Crackdown to Enforce 'Michuki Rules'

Focus Road Safety on Human Error