More than 22,000 traffic offenders were arrested after the Michuki rules crackdown began on November 12, 2018, as police widened enforcement across the country and collected fines from the offenders.
The figures showed the biggest numbers in Central, where 6,000 people were arrested, followed by Nairobi with 3,000, Nyanza with 3,769, Western with 3,638, Eastern with 2,320, Rift Valley with 2,148 and the Coast with 3,200.
In Nairobi, officers said many of those caught had not fastened seat belts. Others were pedestrians crossing at undesignated points, while some motorists were arrested for speeding, obstruction, driving defective vehicles and touting.
The penalties varied by offence. Failure to fasten a safety belt attracted a minimum fine of Sh500 or a 30-day jail term. Drivers of defective vehicles faced a fine of Sh100,000 or up to three years in prison, depending on the number of defects. Vehicles without headlights or inspection stickers were also targeted.
Touting and conductors operating without licences were fined Sh2,000 and risked three months in jail. The Judiciary also put in place payment arrangements, including Kenya Commercial Bank agents inside courtrooms and extra account clerks, while offenders could also pay through M-Pesa.
Central regional commissioner Wilson Njega said the arrests in his region included 3,481 passengers and 451 boda boda riders. He said most of the boda boda riders lacked helmets, licences and insurance, or were carrying extra passengers. He also said most of the impounded Public Service Vehicles were unroadworthy and had invalid inspection certificates.
Sources said the government had collected hundreds of thousands of shillings in fines from the operation.
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