BY GINNAH MINI
BUS and taxi owners have been given one month to repair their vehicles and update registrations before authorities begin strict enforcement of traffic laws.
The NCD/Central Police Division released a media statement earlier last week warning that drivers who commit traffic offences and owners of unroadworthy vehicles will be arrested.
Acting Assistant Commissioner of Police Benjamin Turi said several agencies will work together to enforce traffic regulations. These include the Road Traffic Authority (RTA), Motor Vehicle Insurance Limited (MVIL), National Capital District Commission (NCDC), the Department of Transport, and Traffic Police.
ACP Turi stated that bus and taxi owners have one month to update their vehicle registrations and fix any mechanical defects.
He added that defective buses and vehicles will be targeted first as they contribute to overcrowding and pose safety risks on the roads.
PMV bus driver Nickson Mawa shared his concerns about the enforcement of these rules.
“If the RTA imposes these traffic rules strictly, many PMV buses will be impounded because many drivers are unlicensed and operate ‘palang buses’,” Mawa said.
He also said that many drivers were unaware of the media statement issued by ACP Turi and the authorities.
Mawa believes that although passengers may feel safer with these regulations, many buses could be taken off the roads, which may leave people stranded given the large population in the National Capital District.
A concerned passenger and NCD resident, Natalie Owen, said she has noticed careless driving, overloading, and frequent breakdowns of PMV buses and taxis along the roads.
“I’ve witnessed accidents caused by brake failures and other technical problems, so police and RTA enforcing these rules makes me feel safer when travelling,” Owen said.
The NCD/Central Police Division has also issued a notice on Facebook urging vehicle owners to make copies of their vehicle registration documents and keep them in their vehicles so they can present them to police during checkpoints.