NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 23 — Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has directed the Central Region Traffic Commander to take firm action against speeding miraa drivers along the Embu–Nairobi Highway.
The directive follows a string of fatal accidents that have triggered public outrage and concern among local authorities.
Speaking in Kirinyaga during the Jukwaa la Usalama county tour, Murkomen said the Regional Traffic Commander, Elizabeth Vivi, has been given full authority to enforce all relevant laws to curb the menace.
He disclosed that earlier efforts to engage vehicle owners and transporters during his Eastern Region tour failed after stakeholders boycotted a scheduled meeting.
Murkomen dismissed claims by some politicians that stricter enforcement could hurt the miraa trade, challenging them to weigh profits against human life.
He stressed that the crackdown was not an attack on the miraa business but a necessary step to save lives.
Kirinyaga and Embu counties have consistently recorded high numbers of road accidents involving miraa vehicles, with children and pedestrians among the worst affected.
Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru, who attended the Kerugoya event, voiced concern over the escalating crisis, noting that more than twenty-one lives have been lost in 2025 alone due to speeding vehicles along the Mwea–Embu Highway.
She praised the Jukwaa la Usalama initiative as proof of the government’s resolve to collaborate with counties in securing communities and strengthening service delivery.
According to Waiguru, security should be understood not only as the absence of danger, but also as the presence of peace, trust, and opportunity for residents.
On youth radicalization and illicit brews, Waiguru urged a united front to dismantle criminal networks, rehabilitate victims, and create alternative livelihoods.
She also underscored the importance of community policing and Nyumba Kumi in gathering intelligence and detecting crime early.
