MPs have come up with more extravagant proposals that will afford them additional specialised treatment.

Among proposals contained in the Parliamentary Service Bill by Eldas MP Adan Keynan include diplomatic passports for MPs, speakers and clerks of both houses and members of the Parliamentary Service Commission and their spouses if it is passed into law.

The MPs also want a special police unit to protect Parliament’s leaders and MPs and a university for legislators and parliament staff.

Tabled in the National Assembly on Wednesday, the Bill says the police unit will be under the supervision of the National Police Service and Inspector-General of Police Joseph Boinnet shall appoint an officer in the rank of assistant commissioner or higher to head it.

The PSC has accorded itself wide ranging powers over the proposed unit, set up in similar fashion to the presidential police escort.

The Bill says the Inspector-General of Police and National Police Service Commission are expected to take into account the views of the PSC over operating procedures and staffing for of the unit.

“The commission may request the transfer or redeployment of officers,” it says.

It is unclear why MPs require a special unit as they already enjoy protection by police.

The Bill, which is likely to elicit memories of a Parliament keen on pampering itself at the expense of taxpayers, also seeks to create a parliamentary fund whose key provision is that allocations from the Treasury would not be returned should there be a balance at the end of the financial year.

The Bill is also likely to raise questions about access to public information, with fines of Sh50,000 or one year in prison for employees who divulge information regarding its operations without the permission of the chairperson.

According to Mr Keynan, the proposed law is meant to align the PSC with the new Constitution.

Cars, beer, cigarettes, juices and water will cost more from Saturday after MPs failed to marshal the numbers needed to reject President Uhuru Kenyatta’s proposal for higher taxes on the items.

The lawmakers on Wednesday failed to marshal the two thirds majority (233 MPs) needed to overturn President Kenyatta’s memorandum rejecting lower taxes proposed by the National Assembly’s Finance, Planning and Trade committee.

There were only 91 MPs present in the House at the time the Mr Kenyatta’s recommendations were being debated and voted on.

“We cannot vote on honourable Benjamin Lang’at’s (Committee chairman) proposed recommendations to reject the President’s recommendations. You don’t have the numbers. We will only proceed with the consideration by the President to delete the clauses on fruit juices, cigarettes and used cars,” temporary speaker Moses Cheboi ruled.

HIGHER TAXES

The President’s proposed higher taxes are contained in a memo to MPs following his rejection of the Bill passed in Parliament lowering duty on the goods, arguing that the lawmakers’ move would make it difficult to raise an additional Sh25 billion from the items.

The higher taxes were introduced by Treasury secretary Henry Rotich in June to cater for the current year’s budget.

Leader of Majority in the National Assembly Aden Duale said the law could be assented to by Friday, setting the stage for price reviews.

The Treasury slapped a Sh200,000 excise tax on all vehicles more than three- years- old from the date of first registration and Sh150,000 on newer vehicles.

This adjustment replaces the existing 20 per cent excise tax based on a vehicle’s value, which is charged alongside customs and value added tax.

MPs backed a Bill that lowered the tax to Sh150,000 for newer vehicles and Sh100,000 for those more than three years old. This means that cars below Sh1 million will cost more.

SIN TAX

Motorcycles will also attract excise tax at Sh10,000 a unit, hitting the boda boda business hard. MPs had dropped the tax on motorcycles.

Cigarettes, which are currently taxable at the higher rate of Sh1,200 per 1,000 sticks (mille) or 35 per cent of the retail sales price, will see the rate more than double to Sh2,500 per mille.

On fruit and vegetable juices, President Kenyatta rejected House proposals to remove a Sh10 per litre tax.

Beer will attract a flat tax of Sh100 per litre. Currently, a litre is charged the higher amount of between Sh70 and 50 per cent of the ex-factory price.

This means the taxes go up a minimum of 42 per cent. Water will attract a tax of Sh10 per litre, up from Sh3.

A police officer was shot dead in Kasarani as he responded to a distress call from members of the public on Thursday morning.

His colleague was however not injured in the 3.30am attack, about a kilometer from the police station.

The Kenya Police spokesman Charles Owino said that boda boda operators in Sunton area had raised alarm after they were attacked by three armed men.

Two officers on night patrol duties rushed to the scene but then gunmen, who had laid an ambush, shot at them, killing Constable John Meme on the spot.

“He was shot on the chest and died on the spot. Investigations have been launched but no one has been arrested,” he said

Heavy rains pounded Nairobi from Wednesday night as the much talked about El Niño rains kicked in.

But disappointingly for residents, recent repair works on the city’s drainage system failed to work, with flooding experienced in areas that Governor Evans Kidero had promised to ensure rain water flows freely.

Motorists and commuters got stuck in traffic for hours on Wednesday evening.

A matatu submerged in water on October 29, 2015. PHOTO | JOAN PERERUAN

Sections of Jogoo road, near Makadara law courts, were completely flooded forcing outbound motorists to switch to the opposite lane. A few cars got stuck in the flood waters and had to be towed away.

Learning was paralysed at St Elizabeth primary school in Lunga Lunga on Thursday morning as flood water swamped the school.

St Elizabeth primary school in Lunga Lunga on October 29, 2015. PHOTO | JOAN PERERUAN

City Hall had last set aside a Sh50 million emergency recovery fund for clearing and unblocking of clogged drainage channels and re-construction of roads.

County Executive for Environment Evans Ondieki had revealed that the county government had set aside Sh300 million for emergencies and other tragedies that may occur during the heavy rains.

The Kenya National Highways Authority also recently rehabilitated drainage systems along roads in Nairobi at a cost of Sh 50million financed by the national government.

African presidents attending the ongoing India-Africa Forum Summit were on Wednesday invited to wear the traditional Kurta Sherwani with a waist coat.

The traditional Indian attire was the dress code of a photo session of all leaders attending the summit.

But Zimbabwe’s strong man Robert Mugabe, a long known crusader of African values and culture, stuck to his grey European suit, shirt and tie.

All the other  heads of state, including Kenya’s President  Uhuru Kenyatta, looked colourful in Kurta Sherwani in the photo session, except President Mugabe, who stood out oddly in the crowd.

No explanation was forthcoming from President Mugabe’s media team for the wardrobe choice.

This is the third India-Africa Forum Summit being held as India seeks to strengthen relations with the continent.

A total of 54 African nations are taking part in the summit being hosted by India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Letters like yours mean a great deal to me, and they keep me going every single day; those are the moving words of US President Barack Obama in a letter he wrote to activist Boniface Mwangi.

In the letter dated 20 July 2015, which Mwangi posted on his Facebook page on Wednesday night, the US President thanks the activist for writing a letter to him and for his thoughtful gifts.

“I was struck by your story, and I want you to know I am grateful for your continued support for our shared values,” Obama writes.

“Though we all come from different traditions and communities, I believe each of us has power to make the world we seek. When joined together by a common set of ideals, our diversity makes us stronger. As long as we hold firm to our principles and back our beliefs with courage and resolve, then I am confident hope will overcome fear, and freedom will continue to triumph over tyranny – because that’s what forever stirs in the human heart,” the letter continues.

A copy of the letter that was written by US President Obama to activist Boniface Mwangi

The subject of Mwangi’s letter to Obama that prompted a reply from the US President, however, remain unknown since the activist has not made it public.

THOUGHTFUL GIFTS

The ‘thoughtful gifts’ from Mwangi which President Obama cites in his letter are also anonymous.

Mwangi, through his PAWA254 initiative, is renowned for organizing street demonstrations against poor governance and issues touching on human rights.

One of his most recent street protests, dubbed ‘Occupy Parliament’, took place on 14th May 2013 when he mobilized protesters to feed pigs on blood outside the gates of Parliament to symbolise the greed of Kenyan MPs whom he christened ‘MPigs’.

Currently, PAWA254 is holding the ‘Courage Project’ photo exhibition outside the Kenya National Archives along Moi Avenue.

The exhibition, which began on 19th October and will run until 20th November, highlights stories of courageous individuals who payed a heavy price for Kenya to be where it is today. This project is supported by Chief Justice Dr Willy Mutunga.

Free maternal health programme may be headed for a crisis after Nairobi County Government threatened to reintroduce charges in its hospitals.

Governor Evans Kidero has written to Health cabinet secretary James Macharia demanding Sh 165 million for services rendered to patients in county hospitals.

“We are unable to continue providing the much needed services. We shall have no alternative but to revert to charging the services,” he said.

Dr Kidero added: “In compliance to central government directive on provision of free maternity services, Nairobi county has an outstanding reimbursement of over nine months, amounting to Sh 165,171,980 whose details are well within the knowledge of your ministry.”

The Jubilee government introduced free maternal health in public hospitals.

This effectively scrapped any levies to pregnant women seeking to deliver babies in these hospitals.

Over 1500 pupils of St. Elizabeth Primary School in Industrial Area (Lunga Lunga Rd) were sent home on Thursday morning following flooding of the school at the onset of the El Niño rains.

The pupils who were set to start the end of term exams on Friday could not access the school which had been submerged in water.

The administration of the public institution, run by the Catholic Church, blamed the flooding on dumping of soil on the bank of Mutu-ini Ngong River.

“We had to close down the school to avoid incidents of pupils drowning. Our fear is what will happen to standard eight pupils who are about to start the Kenya Certificate of Primary School (KCPE) examination,” Mary Killen, one of the sponsors’ of the school said in a telephone interview.

The Deputy Head teacher Ms Alice Obamba said the dumping of soil had been done by the Nairobi City County employees in an effort to reclaim Mukuru Kwa Njenga slum which has in the past been prone to flooding.

According to Ms Obamba, the exercise has left the school on a lower ground as compared to the reclaimed land hence the flooding of the institution.

“The reclaiming of the slum is what has led to the blocking of Mutu-ini Ngong River which has as result flooded the school,”said Ms Obamba.

She added that the County government has built a perimeter wall that had also blocked the flow of the river.

TRAFFIC JAM

The school Chairman Charles Musyoka said that the management has been anticipating the disaster as the school’s wall is adjacent to the river bank.

According to Mr Musyoka, the school has in the past written letters to City Hall and National Environmental Management Authority (Nema) to complain about the dumping.

A parent, Caroline Aluoch, called upon the County government to use money set aside for El Niño management to contain flooding in the school.

City Hall has set aside a Sh50 million emergency recovery fund for clearing and unblocking of clogged drainage channels and re-construction of roads.

Several other parts of the city, including the Central Business District (CBD), also experienced floods following a heavy downpour on Wednesday evening.

The busy Jogoo Road experienced a heavy traffic jam on Thursday morning as the rains left part of the highway flooded.

Within the CBD, employees of Nairobi City County had a difficult time trying to unclog the drainage to allow free flow of water. Weather experts have predicted that the rains will continue until December.

Police have arrested a Form Four student at Baba Dogo Secondary school who caned his nephew to death on Wednesday evening in Ruaraka.

Kenya Police spokesman Charles Owino said that the deceased collapsed at their residence in Kasabuni estate after he was caned by his uncle.

He was rushed to Amani health centre but was pronounced dead on arrival.

Police have organized with the examination invigilators to allow the suspect sit for his Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations at the Ruaraka police station where he is being held in custody.

The deceased’s mother has also been questioned by the police since it was alleged that she accused the deceased of truant behavior and asked his brother, the suspect, to punish the child.

The body has been transferred to the City Mortuary. A post-mortem will be done on Friday to establish the exact cause of death.

Tanzania’s new leader John Pombe Magufuli rose from humble beginnings to win the presidency of East Africa’s most populous nation in the country’s hardest ever fought elections.

The win, on his birthday, by the 56-year old former chemistry teacher cements the long-running Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party’s firm grip on power, ruling Tanzania since 1977 when two independence-era parties merged.

The elections, held on Sunday, were the hardest fought electoral race in the east African nation’s history, with the opposition providing the first credible challenge to the CCM since the introduction of multi-party democracy in 1995.

But while the CCM will celebrate Magufuli’s win, it came at the cost of several veteran CCM ministers and politicians, ousted from their parliamentary seats.

Magufuli won 58 percent of votes – a total of 8.9 million – compared to his closest rival Edward Lowassa, a former prime minister and CCM stalwart turned opposition chief who won 40 percent.

Magufuli’s running mate Samia Suluhu Hassan, will become the first female vice president of Tanzania.

The opposition rejected the result, claiming victory itself, while the Zanzibar archipelago annulled polls over irregularities.

Minister of works in the last government – for which he earned the nickname “The Bulldozer” – Magufuli was not initially seen as a frontrunner, but won the CCM nomination from a field of nearly 40 other candidates.

ORDINARY UPBRINGING

He succeeds President Jakaya Kikwete, who stepped down from power having served his constitutional two-term limit.

In a bid to show his strength and refute allegations he was not physically fit for the top job, during his campaign trail he performed push-ups to cheering crowds.

Running on an anti-corruption platform, Magufuli tried hard to cultivate an image of humility, and in rallies repeatedly asked supporters to let him work for them.

“Please allow me to be your servant, give me this great chance to serve you,” he said, a message repeated in multiple campaign rallies.

He has also stressed the ordinariness of his upbringing.

“Our home was grass thatched and like many boys I was assigned to herd cattle, as well as selling milk and fish to support my family,” he told one of his final campaign rallies.

“I know what it means to be poor. I will strive to help improve people’s welfare.”

CCM’S DOMINANCE

Magufuli, who comes from Tanzania’s northwestern Chato district, on the shores of Lake Victoria, was awarded a doctorate in chemistry from the University of Dar es Salaam. He spent some time studying at Britain’s University of Salford.

A member of parliament since 1995 and a devout Roman Catholic, he has also taught in a secondary school and as an industrial chemist.

He has held various cabinet portfolios, including livestock, fisheries and land.

Many opposition supporters said they had had enough of CCM’s decades-long dominance over Tanzanian politics, but supporters point out that the loser Lowassa did not represent much of a break with the past.

Lowassa, a long-time CCM loyalist before defecting, resigned as prime minster in 2008 over corruption allegations that he denied.

Magufuli’s supporters say he offers hope for a different type of politician in Tanzania.

“He was for many years minister for works, supervising execution of mega projects worth trillions of shillings, but was never implicated in any corruption scandal,” ex-prime minster and veteran CCM politician Joseph Warioba said of Magufuli.

“He could have been the richest politician in the country.”

A 26-year-old man who defiled his nine-year-old niece has been sentenced to life imprisonment by a court in Iten.

Passing the judgment, principle magistrate Hezron Nyaberi said the court was satisfied that the complainant told the truth when she narrated how the uncle, David Kiptoo, lured her from her home to assist him light fire on the material day of the incident.

She followed him but on reaching his house they found it locked and the uncle took her to another house where he enticed her with a sweet, which she refused. It was then that he forced her down and defiled her in the process inflicting neck and head injuries on her.

The magistrate said the prosecution had proved beyond reasonable doubt the main charge of defilement. He added that both the mother and the birth certificate proved that the minor was nine years old when she was defiled.

INDECENT ASSAULT

Kiptoo had been charged that on 9th February 2013 at about 6 pm at Embobut village, he intentionally and unlawfully sexually abused a minor aged nine. He faced an alternative charge of indecent assault.

“Section 8 (2) of the sexual offences act provides that a person who commits an offence of defiling a child aged 11 years or less shall upon conviction be sentenced to imprisonment for life,” the magistrate said while delivering his judgement.

The county probation director Ferdinard Ouma told the court that the accused had threatened the mother of the victim during the hearing of the case.

He added that the safety of other children in the community would be in danger if the accused is released.

In mitigation, the accused pleaded for leniency saying he is still a young man adding that he has been in custody for two years.

The British government has lifted the travel advisory against Malindi, boosting the coastal town ahead of the festive season.

The lifting of the advisory against the coastal town was revealed by Foreign Affairs Cabinet secretary Amina Mohammed on Wednesday via her Twitter handle.

Kenya is a major destination for the British tourists who in June were allowed to travel to most parts of the Coast including Mombasa, Kilifi and Watamu.

The move signals a reprieve for players in the hospitality industry at the Coast that has been the hardest hit by negative travel advisories from a number of European governments following a spate of terrorist attacks in the country.

“I have this evening received a call from a British official James Doddridge informing that the UK travel advisory on Malindi has been lifted,” Ms Mohammed said on the micro-blogging site.

She said the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office would issue a formal statement later on the alert downgrade.

TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS

The icy relationship between Kenya and UK that existed in the early days of President Uhuru Kenyatta presidency has, however, thawed, paving the way to more pragmatic diplomacy.

On 19th of this month, the US Embassy announced that travel restrictions to Malindi through Mombasa and Kwale counties to the Tanzanian border had been lifted.

“There are no longer general restrictions on travel to Malindi city in Kilifi County through Mombasa and Kwale counties to the Tanzanian border,” an email sent to its citizens and staff stated.

The US had issued restrictions against towns near the border with Somalia as well as Likoni ferry and Old Town in Mombasa.

The number of visitors to Kenya fell by 25 per cent in the first five months of 2015 according to Kenya Tourism Board figures, showing just how badly the industry has been damaged by a spate of Islamist militant attacks that have killed hundreds.

The travel warnings have crippled tourism and led to the closure of more than 40 hotels at the Coast due to low bed occupancy.

Source: Business Daily

Bishop Thomas Wahome of Helicopter Ministries on Thursday admitted that he hit and killed a pedestrian but could not recall the registration number of the car he was driving.

This comes as information emerged that the victim had taken six bottles of beer, instead of one, as earlier recorded by the police.

Testifying during an inquest into the death of Godfrey Mwaniki in an Othaya court on Thursday, Bishop Wahome said he was not speeding and could not understand how he hit the man yet he had seen him crossing the road.

“I was on the left lane and saw the man crossing from the right side but seconds later, he threw himself back onto the road,” he told Resident Magistrate Raymond Kibet.

The cleric said he stopped immediately to assist the victim, but found his lifeless body lying in front of the vehicle.

VEHICLE’S REGISTRATION NUMBER

The court heard that the road was clear at the time of the accident. But the televangelist surprised the court when he failed to remember the vehicle’s registration number.

“I only know that the vehicle is a Range Rover with the registration number KBX… but the rest I cannot remember,” he said.

Witnesses told the court that Mr Mwaniki was drunk at the time of the accident. Mr Duncan Mugo, who had shared a table with Mr Mwaniki at a bar before the accident, told the court that the man had taken six bottles of beer.

Another witness, who was also at the bar, said he had spotted Mr Mwaniki mixing his beer with a spirit.

The accident occurred at Kihuri Shopping Centre in Othaya, Nyeri County, on June 22. The hearing will continue on November 16.

Police in Langata on Thursday arrested a man who was selling water disguised as cooking oil, packaged and sealed in 20 litres jerrycan.

The man is reported to have been selling the items to unsuspecting small hotel operators within southlands until his luck ran out.

Langata OCPD, Elija Maina said a  total of 15 jerrycans of 20 litres were seized from the suspect but members of the public have been returning more.

Police are still investigating how the man acquired seals belonging to giant refineries and how he sealed the jerrycans. The suspect was to be arraigned in court on Friday.

Thousands of Christians are flocking Manooni Dam in Mbitini, Makueni County where locals say the image of Mary the mother of Jesus has appeared on a rock’s face.

Nairobi News has learnt that rumours of the incident began on Monday and gained credence after vernacular radio stations aired the story.

“People are abandoning their motorbikes and cars at some point and trekking several kilometres to ‘see’ the face,” Nairobi News correspondent Pius Maundu said on phone.

MIRACULOUS BIRTH

Mary, according to the New Testament in the Bible, is also known as Saint Mary or the Virgin Mary, was a Galilean woman of Nazareth who conceived and gave birth to Jesus.

Christians are taught that she conceived miraculously through the Holy Spirit and gave birth to a baby boy, Jesus Christ. Christians believe that Jesus is the son of God and their savior.

Manooni dam is a water reservoir within the Makueni County that supplies the lower parts of the area.

More to follow…

A woman on Thursday night murdered her two children in Mwiki estate by slitting their throats with a kitchen knife before attempting to take her own life.

The 36-year-old is said to have killed her daughter, aged seven, and son, aged two, before neighbours broke into the house and found her unconscious after she stabbed herself in the stomach.

The suspect is said to have separated with her 45-year-old husband two months ago over domestic differences. The enstranged husband reportedly moved to a different house within Mwiki estate leaving the mother behind with her two children.

“The mother was rescued by neighbours and rushed to Mama Lucy Hospital where she is currently admitted while undergoing treatment,” Kasarani OCPD Robinson Mboloi told Nairobi News.

MOTIVE OF MURDER

The bodies of the two children were taken to City Mortuary and investigations have started to establish the motive of the murder.

The incident took place as police were patrolling the area in search of members of a gang that shot and killed a police officer on Wednesday night.

The officer was ambushed by the thugs as he responded to a distress call by boda boda operators in Sunton area.

His colleague, who was with him when the incident happened, was however not injured.

Police have since arrested several suspects and investigations are still ongoing to obtain substantial evidence to charge them.

Airtel and Safaricom lit up Twitter on Friday morning as they engaged in a good-natured banter as the latter celebrated 15th anniversary on Friday.

Safaricom CEO Bob Collymore distributes free airtime to commuters inside a bus at Kencom stage, Nairobi to mark Safaricom’s 15th anniversary. PHOTO | NAIROBI NEWS

It started with Airtel sending happy birthday wishes to Safaricom, which turns 15 Friday, with a teaser, “Paint the town red on this special day!” Red is Airtel’s corporate colour.

'Happy birthday @safaricomltd. Paint the town red on this special day!'

— Airtel Kenya (@AIRTEL_KE) October 30, 2015

Safaricom, who have previously told Airtel social media handlers to “stop tagging us in your tweets”, were gracious on this occasion, even referring to Airtel as “friends”.

@AIRTEL_KE Thank you friends. pic.twitter.com/ZeDIIVRUmb

— Safaricom Limited (@SafaricomLtd) October 30, 2015

Airtel responded.

@SafaricomLtd Anytime. ^Caro

— Airtel Kenya (@AIRTEL_KE) October 30, 2015

Safaricom controls 67.4 per cent of Kenya’s telecoms market with Airtel, its closest rival, controlling 22.6 per cent. Orange has 10 per cent.

Police have arrested a 75-year-old woman who kept the body of her husband for more than a week in their house at Free Area estate on the outskirts of Nakuru town.

The residents were shocked when the woman reported the matter at Mwariki Police Station before she was detained pending arraignment in court on Monday.

According to a senior police officer at the police post, who could not be quoted as he is not authorized to speak to the media, the woman walked into the police station and reported the matter as if it was a petty crime.

The officer said that according to the woman’s statement, her husband, who was also 75, collapsed in their one-roomed mud thatched house after taking hot milk.

DOMESTIC SQUABBLES

Local chief Stephen Macharia told Nairobi News that the couple had been living as man and wife for more than 51 years and had two grown up children and a number of grandchildren.

Mr Macharia said the elderly couple had a long history of domestic squabbles and had on several occasions reported to his office for arbitration but efforts to reconcile them were futile.

Some of the shocked residents said that the elderly couple was living under the mercy of the well-wishers who donated food and clothing to them.

The decomposing body of the victim was taken to Nakuru County Mortuary for postmortem.

Children are admitted at Kenyatta National Hospital’s cancer ward have a reason to smile after Classic 105 presenter Maina Kageni fronted a successful campaign that raised more than Sh 20 million for the purchase of new equipment at the facility.

Maina launched the Be a Hero to a Little Hero campaign on Thursday morning and spent more than 24 hours in the studio only leaving after reaching and surpassing his initial target of Sh 10 million through contributions of his listeners.

The campaign got an overwhelming goodwill from individual Kenyans and corporate entities who contributed generously towards the worthy cause.

A banner for Maina Kageni’s campaign is displayed at the Kenyatta National Hospital children’s cancer ward. PHOTO | COURTESY

Throughout the campaign, the popular radio host kept updating and thanking the contributors irrespective of their donations.

Early on Friday afternoon Maina tweeted “20.2 Million is what we have collected today 6 million is what we have in pledges. Total: 26.2 Million #Maina10MillionMission Thank you!

Maina said that all the money raised will be used to buy equipment to be used at the Kenyatta National Hospital children’s cancer ward where the young patients share most of the equipment with the adults.

The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) has been granted the permission to erect pedestrian fences on major highways in Nairobi to reduce pedestrian accidents.

NTSA will erect the fences on the whole stretch from City Stadium to Railways underpass, which is approximately 3.5 kilometers.

The road between Kempinsky to Kabete through the Westlands roundabout and ABC Place is also set to be separated with a fence.

On Friday, NTSA Director General, Francis Meja said that the Kenya Urban Roads Authority would also do road signage on the highways.

“NTSA and police enforcing the speed limits and marshalling the pedestrians to use the existing footbridges are some of the measures we have also put in place,”Mr Meja said.

He said the Kenya National Highway Authority had identified eleven other areas within the city which require footbridges.

Statistics released by the authority indicate that more people have died as a result of road accidents this year, as compared to those who died in the same period last year.

ROAD SAFETY CAMPAIGN

The statistics indicate that by October 27 this year, a total of 2,434 people had died. By the same date last year, 2,346 people were recorded to have died.

NTSA launched a three month road safety campaign in a bid to reduce fatalities resulting from road accidents.

Mr Meja said the country normally experiences a high number of deaths as a result of accidents, towards the end of the year and during the Christmas period.

“A high number of fatalities were pedestrians and even though the numbers recorded have reduced by 23, the number is still high and we need to impose all measures to reduce them,” Mr Meja said.

“Most of the fatalities occurred in Nairobi, with a majority of those who are killed being young and economically viable persons,” Mr Meja revealed, adding that matatus contribute significantly to these deaths.

Mombasa Road, where the Road Safety Campaign launch was conducted, had the highest number of accidents resulting to death, followed by Thika Superhighway, Waiyaki Way, Eastern Bypass, Nothern Bypass and Jogoo Road.

He named the most dangerous roads in Nairobi as Jogoo Road, Landhies Road, Airport North Road, Eastern Bypass, Waiyaki Way, Uhuru Highway, Mombasa Road and Thika Road.