July has been a black month in Kenya’s public transport sector. Tens of people have lost their lives in road accidents involving public transport vehicles.
The latest of these accidents is the deadly Nithi accident that occurred on Sunday, July 24, 2022. This accident claimed 33 lives. It involved a bus that was being operated by the Modern Coast Bus. It happened barely two weeks after yet another accident claimed the lives of 18 people. This accident involved a matatu and trailer.
These two accidents are a continuation of a series of accidents that have been involving public service vehicles. In 2018, a bus that was being operated by Western Cross Express left 56 people dead after it overturned at Fort Tenan near Kipkelion.
By June 27, more than 2,200 lives had been lost through road crashes. This was an increase of 10.5 per cent as compared to 2,057 deaths on the same date in 2021. According to NTSA, 4,497 people perished on the road last year. Authorities have attributed the deaths to lack of adherence to road safety rules by motorists.
A staggering over 85 per cent of the crashes are attributed to human errors including exceeding speed limit, reckless and aggressive driving, bad road attitude (no courtesy), bullying, drunk driving, overlapping and general disobeying of traffic rules.
You would be forgiven to think that these many deaths would push the minister in charge of transport into action. But no. Not James Macharia! This Cabinet Secretary for Transport has cast himself as a figure who is least bothered by the happenings in the public transport sector.
His main area of concern is in mega projects, such as the Nairobi Expressway, that are good for the optics. CS Macharia has not bothered to push for the stricter implementation of the famous Michuki rules that had restored sanity in the public transport sector.
Ironically, his responses to issues that affect mega projects such as the Nairobi Expressway have been swift and effective. He recently swung into action and banned matatus from using the Expressway after an accident at the Mulolongo toll station. He, however, never lost sleep over the road accident that involved a matatu and a truck along the Mombasa-Nairobi highway.
Incidentally, this accident had occurred just two days after four people died in a road crash in Machakos county.
Shocking details about bus in Nithi accident emerge. Death toll hits 33
Critics have had choice words over how Macharia has been running the Ministry of Transport. According to lawyer Donald Kipkorir, Macharia is the representation of government failure.
“CS James Macharia is poster child of Gov’t Incompetence, Ineptitude & Hubris … Under him, Kenya Ferry Services operate unseaworthy Ferries, Billions spent to paint roads allegedly for BRT, SGR turned out to be fake Project, Kenya Airways collapsed, Useless roads are built,” Kipkorir stated about the Macharia in 2019.
How many more people have to die in avoidable road accidents before CS Macharia can act?