The Ministry of Tourism has asked tour operators to exercise strict adherence and compliance to road safety regulations ahead of next month’s peak season.

In a press release yesterday through the Assistant Director of Public Communications John Cheboi, the ministry said it does not condone the usage of unlicensed and unsafe mode of transport. “Every tour operator and the driver has the responsibility to ensure their vehicles are well maintained, have tourism stickers and fully compliant to the set rules,” said Cheboi.

He said the ministry has received complaints that unlicensed operators are using unlicensed vehicles and drivers to ferry tourists in some parts of the country.”The ministry has teamed up with the traffic police, Transport Licensing Board and Motor vehicles inspection unit in undertaking a crackdown of unroadworthy vehicles that include tourist vehicles in the country. The team started the joint effort on May 23 in Mai Mahiu and Gilgil netted 16 tourist vehicles with various defects,” reads part of the statement.

But National Vice Chairman of Kenya Tourists Drivers and Guides Association Andrew Mungatana said the crackdown had negative consequences.”The crackdown caused inconveniences among the tourists. Most of the visitors had to cancel their trips to their country after missing their flights,” said Mungatana.

Cheboi said that the vehicles were released upon payment of a cash bail and the drivers would soon appear in court. He said the crackdown will spread to all parts of the country to weed out operators who flout traffic rules.

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