NAIROBI, Kenya – Motorists who flout traffic rules during the festive season will face swift punishment as police roll out mobile courts and step up enforcement on major highways and urban roads.
Deputy Inspector General of the Kenya Police Service Eliud Lagat said traffic hotspots have already been identified, with additional officers deployed to curb lawlessness and prevent the annual surge in road carnage and congestion.
“We have mapped out the hotspots and we want to make sure the traffic mess witnessed in the past does not recur,” Lagat said. “This time, we are doing things differently, including the use of mobile courts to deal instantly with offenders.”
Lagat spoke on Wednesday after meeting senior police commanders at the Ngong Traffic Base to review security operations and finalise plans for the festive season.
Regional commanders made presentations outlining security strategies in their respective areas.
The Nairobi–Nakuru highway was singled out as the most notorious corridor for traffic violations, with hotspots identified in Lari, Kimende, Soko Mjinga, Salgaa and Timboroa.
Parts of the Nairobi–Mombasa highway were also flagged as high-risk areas.
Beyond traffic enforcement, Lagat said police have reinforced security countrywide to protect Kenyans and visitors during the holiday period.
Tourist destinations, entertainment spots and other crowded public areas will receive heightened police presence.
“We want those travelling and celebrating to do so safely,” he said, urging the public to cooperate with security officers.
Police officers currently on leave have been recalled, while off-duty leave has been suspended to boost manpower on the ground.
The meeting also reviewed policing operations in 2025 and marked the official opening of the Traffic Police Training Centre at the Ngong base.
Security agencies are also intensifying operations against illicit brew, noise pollution, emerging criminal gangs and tribal clashes, particularly in Angata Barrikoi, Narok County.
“We are profiling those behind these criminal activities and will be coming for them,” Lagat warned.
To enhance coordination, the National Multi-Agency Command Centre (NMACC) has been activated to oversee surveillance, intelligence sharing and rapid response before, during and after the festive season.
The centre brings together officers from the Kenya Defence Forces, National Police Service, National Intelligence Service, Kenya Prisons Service, Kenya Wildlife Service, Kenya Forestry Service, National Youth Service and the National Government Administration.
Similar command centres have been activated at regional and county levels to strengthen operational control, supported by festive season operation orders issued by the National Police Service.
Security teams have been deployed at airports, border points, hotels, shopping malls, beaches, tourist sites, places of worship, entertainment joints, central business districts and critical infrastructure installations.
They are backed by General Duty Police and specialised units, with the Ministry of Defence providing logistical and air support where required.
In collaboration with the Traffic Police Department, the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) has launched a nationwide traffic operation aimed at easing congestion and improving road safety.
Authorities said both physical and electronic enforcement measures will be used, alongside mobile courts.
Regional and County Security Committees have also been reinforced to boost counter-terrorism preparedness and implement Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism (P/CVE) action plans.
Meanwhile, targeted operations against organised criminal gangs have been intensified in Nairobi, the Coast, Western, Nyanza, Central and Eastern regions.
Police have also escalated enforcement against cultural and social crimes, including female genital mutilation (FGM), defilement, early pregnancies, forced marriages, domestic violence and religious extremism.
