This archive report was first published on 23 November 2019.
On November 17, 2019, Nairobi police were instructed to return all breathalyser kits in their jurisdictions to traffic headquarters until further notice, sparking excitement among drivers about the possibility of a weekend without the gadgets on the road.
The decision was made after a senior police officer was reportedly shocked at the level of corruption on the Alcoblow checks during an impromptu tour last Saturday night.
While the checks are supposed to weed out drunk drivers by placing them under custody till the next morning when they could sober up and be charged, corrupt police officers have turned them into money-minting ventures where they rake in thousands of shillings per night.
According to Section 44(1) of the Traffic Act, those found driving under the influence are liable to pay between Sh20,000 and Sh50,000 if found guilty. However, corrupt police officers are letting drunk drivers off the hook for as little as Sh2,000 if they are able to raise the money at the roadblock.
There is talk already about the idea of returning the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) to the roads as a remedy for the rampant police corruption.
