Since he took the reigns from former Police Inspector General Joseph Boinnet, Hillary Mutyambai has introduced a raft of changes, especially in the traffic department.
While Boinnet is lauded as a master intelligence operative who managed to significantly contain Al-Shabaab raids in the country, Mutyambai has always had traffic police top of his to-do list.
Reduced Roadblocks
In his first year of administration, IG Mutyambai ordered the removal of traffic police roadblocks that had become a major cash cow for rogue traffic cops.
This would be followed by a daring move by traffic officers stationed at Wamunyu along the Machakos-Kitui road to extort money from IG Mutyambai who was travelling home incognito.
Trouble started when the cops threatened the IG’s driver, prompting him to disembark from the car to intervene.
While attempting to get his driver off the hook, the oblivious officers ordered the IG to shut up or risk detention.
He would send the cops a bribe from his phone number and order for the transfer of the entire Machakos traffic department days later.
Road Clearance
In his second change, IG Mutyambai managed to bring sanity to the chaotic traffic clearance by gazetting only four Cabinet Secretaries to be entitled to traffic clearance.
Among the CSs are Interior, Defence, Finance and Foreign Affairs and their respective Principal Secretaries.
The others are President, Deputy President, former Presidents, Former Prime Minister, Chief Justice, Attorney General, Speakers and Majority leaders of the two Houses.
Removal of NTSA Officers
IG Mutyambai’s reign also led to the removal of the National Transport & Safety Authority (NTSA) officers from the roads.
NTSA had been accused of soaring fatalities on the road by engaging in rampant chases of errant drivers that would at times cause secondary accidents.
Removal of Static Traffic Police
In his latest change, IG Mutyambai announced that traffic police officers will no longer be stationed at a particular spot.
Instead, there will be some 38 vehicles placed along major roads in the country.
These vehicles will be under the control of regional traffic commanders and they will be shuttling the expanse of the road to monitor, control and respond to traffic emergencies.
Rewarding Incorruptible Police Officers
While on a tour to Kakamega, IG Mutyambai toyed with the idea of introducing a policy where diligent traffic police officers would be assessed and offered some favourable compensation