Kenyans Differ With Kipchumba Murkomen, Attribute Reduced Road Fatalities To High Cost Of Living

• A section of Kenyans have criticised Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen for attributing reduced road fatalities to the government's interventions
• The critics said the positive results resulted from the high cost of living that made Kenyans cut back on travel, hence escaping road hazards
• The CS disclosed that the country had recorded a decrease of 8.11 per cent from 4,352 to 3,999 from January 1 to December 7, 2023

Nancy Odindo, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings more than three years of experience covering politics, news, and feature stories across digital and print media in Kenya.

Kenyans have blasted Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen for sharing his joy concerning the reduced number of road fatalities in 2023.

Murkomen noted that the number of casualties recorded from January 1 to December 7 had significantly dropped to 3,999 from 4,352, representing 8.11%.

"Over the last year, our collective effort has reduced road traffic fatalities. From January 1st to December 7th, 2023, we witnessed a commendable 8.11% decrease in lives lost due to road traffic injuries compared with the same period last year—down from 4,352 to 3,999," he said.

Kenyans say high cost of living led to reduced road fatalities

A section of Kenyans believe that the decrease in death tolls is attributed to reduced travel, which was caused by the high cost of living.

The critics harshly criticised the CS for attributing the decrease to the government's efforts to improve road infrastructure and a crackdown on reckless drivers.

@lipundaKE tweeted:

"Thanks to the tough economic times, not many people are travelling and many others are not engaging in drunk driving because of the cost of living."

@MathayoDarvy wrote:

"The reason for the reduction is the high cost of living and high fuel prices, not government intervention, unless this one is a government intervention too."

@OneDenue said:

"How did they achieve this, having done nothing to our roads or safety procedures? Well, pump prices are exaggeratedly high. This has reduced the number of vehicles on the roads. Ama namna gani, my friend."

@sycamorehealthk observed:

"I hypothesise that the reduction is mainly due to decreased traffic on the roads as a result of high fuel prices. Nevertheless, it's a positive outcome that we lost fewer people than the previous year. ."

@maurice_abondo said:

"Murkomen, more importantly, is the reduction due to intentional tactics by GoK? Or is it simply that fewer Kenyans were commuting, and therefore fewer were exposed to road hazards?"

Murkomen issues new tools to reduce road accidents

While launching the National Usalama Barabarani Campaign at Kenya Railways Nairobi on December 18, the former Elgeyo Marakwet senator introduced new tools that would help reduce road accidents during the festive season.

He said the Kenya Highway Code and Learner Drivers’ Handbook will be freely distributed and will go a long way in promoting responsible road use across the country.

"The Highway Code includes rules and guidelines applicable to all road users, be they learners or experienced drivers. I appeal to vehicle operators to carry functional first aid kits and fire extinguishers and to embrace basic first aid training. Let’s support the government’s efforts to restore sanity on our roads, particularly during this festive season," said Murkomen.