Murkomen orders crackdown on reckless miraa vehicles along Mwea–Embu highway
The crackdown aims to target miraa vehicles often driven at dangerous speeds, which pose a serious threat to residents of Kirinyaga and Embu counties.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has ordered a crackdown on vehicles transporting miraa along the Mwea–Embu highway, citing reckless driving that endangers lives of residents. The move comes after repeated warnings and ignored summons to address safety concerns.
Speaking in Kirinyaga during a Jukwaa La Usalama forum, Murkomen revealed that he had previously instructed the Eastern Regional Commissioner to convene a meeting with miraa drivers. However, both drivers and owners declined to attend, prompting the CS to direct security officers to take decisive action.
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“They refused to attend the meeting called by the Eastern Regional Commissioner. Now, let us deal with them ruthlessly and without fear,” Murkomen said, emphasising the urgent need to restore order along the busy highway.
The crackdown aims to target miraa vehicles often driven at dangerous speeds, which pose a serious threat to residents of Kirinyaga and Embu counties.
Echoing the CS’s concerns, Kirinyaga Governor Ann Waiguru described miraa-related accidents as a “disturbing menace” that disproportionately affects vulnerable residents, including school-going children.
She disclosed that 25 people had been killed in accidents involving miraa vehicles within Kirinyaga County over the past year, noting that the figure could be higher when fatalities in neighbouring counties are included.
While acknowledging the economic importance of miraa as a perishable crop, Waiguru stressed that human life must take priority.
“A life lost for whatever reason is too much to bear. I propose broader stakeholder consultations to streamline the transport sector,” she said.
The governor further called for stringent measures, including rerouting miraa vehicles and enforcing the installation of speed governors, insisting that the government must “stop at nothing to reform this sector.”
In response, Murkomen instructed the Kirinyaga County Traffic Commander to immediately launch a crackdown on overspeeding miraa vehicles, directing traffic officers to use every legal means available to enforce the law.
“We cannot tolerate overspeeding vehicles at the expense of people’s lives. There is no comparison between money and human life,” he emphasised.
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