WE MUST TAKE THE TOUGH DECISIONS

Road carnage has turned out to be one of the most lethal killers of the Kenyan population in recent times. Bloodbath on our roads has tainted the newly- constructed ultra-modern Thika Highway and other roads across the country. The joy that these developments promised to Kenyans has turned to be the very cause of tears, anguish and misery to Kenyans who have lost their loved ones. Those lucky enough to survive have been permanently maimed and their lives turned upside down. They have been left with telling scars of the brutality of road carnage.

Death caused by careless driving: The offence will be punishable by life sentence. Overlapping, obstruction, driving on pavement or through a petrol station to avoid traffic: A fine of Sh100, 000- 300,000 or one year in jail or both. Careless driving: Penalty of Sh500, 000 or 10 years imprisonment or both. These are some of the new traffic rules meant to curb the carnage that has been on an all-time high in the past few years. They are set to take effect as from the 1^st of December, this year.

However, in a sad twist of events, a section of matatu operators have boycotted work to protest these stringent traffic rules that are meant for the benefit of the Kenyan road user, the striking matatu operators included. Thousands of Kenyan commuters are now paying the price; they have been forced to walk long distances to and from work and fares have been hiked. For example, in Eldoret, fares rose to Sh100, up from the normal Sh20!

In spite of the hell that an unfortunate Kenyan matatu user is going to live through, these rules should stand. Matatu operators should not use their go-slow to hold the government hostage. It will be tantamount to preaching impunity on our roads; social abhorrence that we are all trying to slay.  Matatu operators have come up with all manner of lame excuses to back their protests, including allegations that these amendments are punitive and meant to push them out of business. 

But should the governments give in to their demands and put on hold these amendments? No. Ordinary Kenyans are now feeling the heat due to the go-slow but let us hold on, for light and safety is now near, more than ever. A Kenyan politician once said that as a country, Kenya must be prepared to bite the bullet, take the hard and unpopular decisions, for the well-being of her citizens in the years to come. This is the way to go with regard to the traffic amendments that have drawn a hue and cry from a section of matatu operators.

Let the matatu operators remain in their go-slow, but the traffic amendments should stand.  The reckless abandon with which some motorists carelessly drive on our modern highways, have made these rules a necessity. Drunken driving, dangerous overtaking , driving along pavements, speeding way beyond the speed limits and picking and dropping off passengers at non-designated places, have turned our roads into hell. It is a jungle where the rule of the fit surviving has become all too common. The courteous and polite motorists are at the mercy of their rude and careless counterparts.

 Traffic police must always be there to ensure sanity on our roads and their shortest absence reveals behavior that is all too common with the motorists; rudeness and non-compliance to the traffic rules.

Issues may be raised about how some rogue police officers might use these stringent traffic amendments as a milking cow, to extort money from motorists who find it hard to comply with these new requirements. But again, matatu should not use this as an excuse to launch a petition in accordance with the law. It is no rocket-science that most of our motorists especially matatu operators are seasoned law-breakers with regard to the most basic of traffic rules. They will find it hard to adjust but at last, they will learn to adjust to the law that is now fighting impunity, more than ever, at all fronts.

We have already killed our past on our roads; sadly we are busy killing the future. Ghastly accidents, mostly as a result of human errors and recklessness have taken away the joy that these ultra-modern roads were supposed to bring to Kenyans.  It is sad to see how Kenyans drive their way into death traps, and the rest of the country, casually looks on, only to shed tears when death strikes! We cannot afford to sit back and only whine when deaths occur on our roads. We must act and save our roads before they rival terror attacks as leading killers in our country!

We cannot have roads of the 21^st Century and still posses mindsets of the 19^th Century! These developments must cut across the board. All motorists should be ready to abide by these stringent rules for the benefit and convenience of all Kenyans.

It has apparently become the responsibility of the government to ensure that Kenyans take care of their lives! Most of the motorists have become care-free with their safety to the extent of endangering the lives of others. These laws are meant to put this to an end.

While we embrace and toss champagne over the Chinese- built Thika superhighway and other roads all over the country, we must be equally prepared to accept the heavy responsibility that comes with it!