Police Launch Crackdown On Tuk-Tuk Driver Who Fled After Being Found Guilty Of Overloading

• Police have begun a search for a tuk-tuk driver who went against traffic rules by carrying eight passengers instead of four
• Transport CS Kipchumba Murkomen said the cyclist would be made to face justice for disobeying the traffic laws
• The cyclist escaped before the NTSA and traffic officers could notice and nab him, despite having been stopped by them

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.

A tuk-tuk operator along Kisumu-Nairobi Road is on the run after he was found transporting eight passengers instead of the recommended four.

Police have since launched a crackdown on him after he ran away a few minutes after traffic officers and National Transport and Safety Authority officials stopped him.

IG Koome, Murkomen urge citizens to obey traffic rules

The unidentified try-cyclist committed the offence amidst calls from Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome and Roads and Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen for all commuters to observe the set laws.

"Wananchi wenzangu, the National Police Service, has the mandate to enforce traffic laws. However, I wish to emphasise that road safety is our collective responsibility as Kenyans. Therefore, I am appealing to pedestrians, cyclists, boda boda riders, passengers, and drivers to adhere to traffic rules so that we make this festive season safe for us all," urged Koome.

Murkomen stated that he would be held accountable for his reckless behaviour according to the law.

"This tuk-tuk was stopped by NTSA and traffic police officers while carrying eight passengers instead of the recommended four on the Kisumu-Nairobi Road. Needless to say, it was dangerously overloaded. I hope the cyclist, who fled the scene, will be made to face justice for his reckless behaviour," said Murkomen.

The CS urged Kenyans to speak out whenever they notice a driver or cyclist starting to carry passengers beyond their vehicles's capacities.

"To all passengers, please don't encourage this kind of unsafe road behaviour by keeping quiet. Protest when you see a bus driver or a tuk-tuk cyclist starting to overload. Let's stop risking lives on our roads. Remember that road safety is everyone's responsibility," he added.

Boda boda sector records more deaths

In other news, Murkomen said the number of traffic fatalities and road crashes had increased among cyclists and boda boda riders.

According to him, the high numbers between January 1 and December 7, 2023, were recorded due to non-compliance with traffic rules and regulations, including speeding, dangerous cycling, and inadequate non-motorised transport facilities.

"I am disheartened to report a rise in fatalities among pedal cyclists, attributed to factors such as speeding, dangerous cycling, and inadequate non-motorised transport facilities," he added.