The spate of breaking news about road fatalities in Kenya has taken a dark and disturbing angle to say the least. The loss of lives is shocking, the disdain to the law is disturbing, the disregard for human life is traumatizing and the casual response by the authorities is unsurprising.
“13 people killed when a trailer driver loses control and rams into a public van at night.”
“Passenger killed after being thrown out of a public bus by conductor.”
“Foreign national killed by speeding presidential motorcade.”
In a civilized first world country, the number of firings & resignations after such a spate would be fast and furious. But here everyone remotely responsible is just cool with life. Those in charge of the driving, road safety & law enforcement are all thinking, “I was not driving the vehicles that caused these deaths, therefore I am not to blame”.
The bigger problem is that these headlines are not exceptional or freak accidents but things that have happened before recently.
The presidential motorcade killed another person some weeks ago. Passengers have been seriously injured or killed after being thrown out of moving matatus before. Innocent passengers & pedestrians have been killed by faulty vehicles or fatigued drivers.
Meanwhile the traffic police are estimated by the Anti- Corruption Commission to be collecting 33B shillings annually in a synchronized bribery system that beats the best multi-level marketing revenue models. More road traffic injury victims are dying in hospitals because the medical system is a corruption ridden scam that is not working and doctors are not also getting paid on time and fairly.
We have a big leadership problem. It is big, self serving & deadly. This fish is stinking rotten from the very top
DEADLY ROAD CULTURE
