A number of Kenyans have often wondered whether it’s legal for traffic officers to enter their vehicles, with some even reportedly engaging in physical altercations in a bid to block them from stepping foot inside their cars.
On Monday, the Kenya Police Service made the clarification via social media citing Traffic Act (CAP 403).
According to the Act, any police officer with uniform is allowed to stop any vehicle on the road and enter it during the routine inspections.
"It shall be lawful for any police officer in uniform to stop any vehicle, and for any police officer, licensing officer or inspector, (a) to enter any vehicle; (b) to drive any vehicle or cause any vehicle to be driven;
“(c) upon reasonable suspicion of any offense under this Act, to order and require the owner of any vehicle to bring the vehicle to him,” the traffic Act (CAP 403) reads in part.
It further states that any person who fails to comply with any instructions given under this section shall be guilty of an offence and liable on a first conviction, to a fine not exceeding thirty thousand shillings, and for a second or subsequent conviction, to a fine not exceeding fifty thousand shillings or to imprisonment for a term of one year.
The NPS also explained how motorists are expected to interact with the traffic police during routine inspections.
"Any person driving a motor vehicle on a road shall carry his driving license or provisional license, and, on being so required by a police officer, produce it for examination.
For the purposes of this section, driving license or provisional license includes such other evidence as will satisfy the police that there is no contravention of section 30.
Any person who contravenes or fails to comply with this section shall be guilty of an offense and be liable to a fine not exceeding ten thousand shillings (Ksh 10,000)," the statement read.