Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen on Thursday November 30, ordered an immediate crackdown on public service vehicles (PSV).
In a statement, Murkomen directed the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) to collaborate with the National Police Service to get rid of unroadworthy vehicles.
Murkomen added that the directive was aimed at nabbing private vehicles converted into PSVs.
“This directive is aimed at addressing growing cases where private vehicles are illegally converted into PSVs without adhering to the mandatory regulations and compliance measures governing public transport,” Murkomen stated.
Murkomen issued the directive during the Matatu Owners Association (MOA) National Delegates Conference at KICC, Nairobi.
The crackdown is expected to tame cases of accidents recorded especially during the festive season.
In comparison to the 3,947 fatalities that occurred last year, 4,103 people have died in road accidents nationwide as of November of this year, according to the NTSA preliminary statistics.
The highest number of fatalities, 1,486 according to the report, involved pedestrians. Motorcyclists came second, with 1,085 fatalities.
During the same period 721 passengers, 378 drivers, 377 pillion passengers, and 56 cyclists have also died in road accidents.
A total of 8,371 have suffered serious injuries, while 6,000 survived with slight injuries.
The accidents blamed on factors such as speeding, reckless driving, dangerous overtaking, drunk driving, walking drunk, failure to use seatbelts, failure to use helmets by riders/pillion passengers amongst others.
