Why you are likely to encounter a prison warden enforcing COVID, traffic rules during the festive season

NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 22 – Despite a global pandemic characterized by a year of extreme lethargy, job losses, and the loss of lives, Kenyans appear to be in a celebratory mood, as thousands travel across the country to mark the festive season.

The Christmas festivities, the most wonderful time of the year, will however be slightly different this year-round.

Already, despite local travel advisories to Kenyans many have defied government protocols opting to travel in order to celebrate with their loved ones.

Security apparatus have however warned that for the growing cases of COVID-19 infections and for the curve to be flattened, Kenyans must play their part to avert further deaths.

Already, a multi-agency team consisting of officers from the National Police Service, National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA), and a special contingent of officers from the Prisons Service will now be deployed across the country particularly along major roads to ensure motorists comply with traffic rules.

Statistics from NTSA have revealed that 3,663 people have lost their lives due to road accidents by December 13.

It is a trend that Inspector General of police Hillary Mutyambai says must be reversed.

“Our efforts have been on road safety awareness with extensive education through the Usalama Barararani Programme and Road Safety Mainstreaming in the public sector targeted law enforcement and collaboration with stakeholders to improve emergency medical response services all in a bid to deal with the vice,” the police boss said.

A report by the multi-agency team has revealed that drunk driving, speeding, driver fatigue, and the use of un-roadworthy vehicles are partly to blame for the carnage.

“Some drivers are engaging in dangerous overtaking, lack of proper lane discipline, freewheeling is to blame for the increasing number of deaths on our roads,” the IG said during a press conference on Tuesday. 

To better control the situation, the Commissioner-General Kenya Prisons Service Wycliffe Ogallo said already 5,000 prison wardens have been gazetted as special officers.

This means they will now carry out policing duties during the specified period under the designated multi-agency team.

The Prison officers will among other duties be part of day and night patrols across major towns.

They will compliment security teams in enforcing COVID-19 guidelines in all public places such as entertainment joints.

This will further entail ensuring Kenyans adhere to social distance guidelines and are not on the streets past the curfew hour of 10pm.

“Security starts with an individual. I, therefore, urge all officers and the citizenry to work together and share all information that may assist us prompt crimes,” Commissioner-General Kenya Prisons Service Wycliffe Ogallo said.

Additionally, as part of enforcing road safety rules, Mutyambai revealed that ground and air patrols will be heightened during the period.

Drivers will be subjected to random checks on the roads to ensure among other things their licenses are valid.