NTSA to conduct major Thika Road crackdown starting this weekend.

Kiambu NTSA Manager John Kapteroi addressing the press on Wednesday after holding a meeting with Thika West security team to discuss road carnage in the area. Next to him is Thia West DCC Tom Anjere and Thika OCPD Willy Simba.

The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) will, beginning this weekend, conduct a major crackdown on motorists flouting traffic regulations in a bid to stem increasing road carnage along the busy Thika superhighway.

Kiambu/Murang’a NTSA Manager John Kapteroi says that the move has been precipitated by increased cases of road carnage especially between Witeithie Estate and the Del Monte shop along the superhighway and between the Gatitu junction and Makongeni Estate along the Thika-Garissa Highway.

The announcement came in the wake of reports in the wake of incidences of grisly road accidents witnessed along the highway, the latest one being last Sunday when four people lost their lives at Ndarugo when the saloon car they were travelling in slammed onto a stationary truck.

The initiative to be done in collaboration with the NTSA, the National Police Service and the County Government of Kiambu will target all categories of motorists including private vehicles, PSVs, motor cycles and tuktuk.

Kapteroi warned that that no driver will be spared noting that the operation will be sustained for a long period to ensure sanity was restored on the roads.

“We have noted that there has been an increase in the number of accidents at night and especially over the weekend which mostly can be attributed to over speeding and drink driving. We will liaise with Base Commanders from the areas affected to ensure that this operation is a success,” said Kapteroi.

He noted that there were so many PSV vehicles that operated without requisite documents notwithstanding those that carried excess passengers and SACCOs that operated without licences.

“We will crackdown on all these PSV operators who operated illegally. We will liaise with the county governments to rid of SACCOs that operated without licences too as they were the reason our towns were littered with so many illegal bus stops,” he said.

PSV operators nabbed contravening their designated routes will also be in trouble for according to Kapteroi, they were also causes of road carnage whenever they operated in routes unfamiliar to them.

The NTSA boss added that bodabodas and tuktuks will not be spared either in the wake of the mushrooming passenger drop off and collection points within the CBD.

Thika West DCC Tom Anjere promised to coordinate his team to ensure they assisted the agency to curb road carnage.

“We have taken a multi-agency approach to fight this menace. My security team is very ready to work with NTSA to crack the whip on rogue drivers and other road users who flaunt traffic rules,” said Anjere.

He also complained of the mushrooming bus stops within town which were causing a lot of traffic snarl-ups and accidents.

Meanwhile, Kapteroi has asked members of public to use the available avenues to report cases of rogue NTSA officers as the agency did not condone misconduct and corruption.

“NTSA has developed an App on smartphones that responds to public queries instantly. This App allows you to take images of whatever is happening and send them to our headquarters for action,” he said.