Murkomen announces operation targeting speeding miraa drivers
By Aloys Michael, August 22, 2025Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has sounded the alarm over the rising number of deadly road accidents along the Embu-Nairobi highway, blaming the spike squarely on reckless miraa transporters.
In a statement on his X account on Friday, August 22, 2025, following a high-level security meeting with Kirinyaga leaders, Murkomen said urgent measures are being rolled out to curb the escalating crisis, which has left many families mourning loved ones.
“To contain the disturbingly high number of road accidents along the Embu-Nairobi highway, which are largely caused by speeding miraa drivers, the police, working with NTSA, are under instruction to arrest and prosecute them,” the CS declared.
“We cannot prioritise profit over human life.”
Murkomen was addressing broader safety and governance issues in Kirinyaga County, where he lauded the generally calm state of the region but noted the Embu road accidents as a pressing concern that required immediate intervention.
Beyond road safety, the CS also highlighted other ongoing efforts to improve security and well-being in the region. He pointed to success in the fight against illicit brews, saying the county had dropped in national rankings to position 35, though he acknowledged more must be done.
“Bars operating near schools and homes must be shut down. The fight is not yet over,” Murkomen warned.
Establishment of database
As Murkomen intensifies the crackdown on reckless drivers, the government has announced a plan to establish a comprehensive national traffic accident database in response to a worrying surge in road accidents across the country.
In a joint initiative involving the Ministry of Interior, the State Departments for Roads, Transport, and ICT, the government is developing a central system that will leverage big data and digital intelligence to strengthen traffic accident investigations and enforcement.
According to a statement released by the Ministry of Interior on Wednesday, August 20, 2025, the initiative will not only standardise accident data collection but also transform how traffic law enforcement is carried out across the country.
“We are developing a national traffic accident database and reviewing our traffic investigation and enforcement procedures,” the ministry stated.
The project is part of the Safe-System Approach to Road Traffic Safety, spearheaded by the Kenya Police Service, and is supported by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).