Lawmakers have raised concerns over rogue miraa drivers following increased cases of road accidents along the Nairobi-Meru highway.

The MPS cited personal stories where they have either had to give way or brake instantly because of undisciplined miraa drivers. They want the National Transport Safety Authority (NTSA) to crack the whip on rogue drivers whom they accused of ignoring rules on the road.

They claimed that transportation of miraa from Meru to Nairobi has increasingly become associated with reckless driving, speeding and fatal accidents.

A journey that should take four hours, they said, takes under two hours, and they termed this unacceptable.

Led by National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula, the MPs said there is need for urgent measures to deal with the rogue drivers.

 He demanded that the committee on Transport and Infrastructure table a statement from the Ministry of Transport detailing the actions being taken to arrest the situation.

Said Wetang’ula: “From where I sit, I take judicial notice of the reckless manner in which those vehicles are driven. I have narrowly escaped a head-on collision with them, not once, not twice.”

While contributing to a request for a statement by Runyenjes MP Muchangi Karemba, MPs Pamela Njeru (Embu County Woman Representative), Ali Raso (Saku), Pauline Lenguris (Samburu County Woman Representatives), Zamzam Mohammed (Mombasa County woman representative), Ojiambo Oundo (Funyula), Patrick Ntwiga (Chuka/Igambang’ombe), Ferdinand Wanyonyi (Kwanza), Alice Ng’ang’a (Thika Town), Julius Melly (Tinderet), John Kiarie (Dagoretti South), Julius Rutto (Kesses) regretted that the number of people killed on the highways because of reckless driving is alarming.

In his statement, Karemba demanded that the Committee on Transport and Infrastructure table immediate and long-term measures the ministry is taking to curb frequent accidents caused by miraa drivers.

Said Karemba: “Transportation of miraa from Meru to Nairobi has increasingly become associated with reckless driving. The urgent need to deliver this highly perishable crop to Nairobi markets has fostered a culture of impunity among miraa transporters, who often disregard traffic regulations, speed limits and law enforcement instructions. This conduct is in direct contravention of the Traffic Act (Cap. 403), which governs road safety and driver behaviour.”

Njeru demanded that strict measures be taken against the speeding drivers.

Melly called on MPS to restore sanity on the roads.

Lenguris disclosed that when travelling from Nairobi through Nanyuki to Samburu, they are often forced to give way to speeding drivers.

She said, “Sometimes, they cause many accidents. I have witnessed accidents while travelling to Samburu along the Nanyuki-Isiolo route. The drivers should adhere to NTSA rules to avoid accidents.”

Raso said miraa vehicles should have their own special roads owing to how they are driven.

Oundo regretted that the failure by traffic police to enforce speed limits is actually the main challenge.

He said, “I happen to use that road occasionally on some private business. Indeed, sometimes I literally hold my heart in my hands when I see a miraa vehicle overtaking me or coming head-on.”