Mombasa County Executive Committee Member for Transport, Infrastructure, and Governance, Daniel Manyala, has issued a stern warning to motorists flouting traffic rules during the designated “happy hour” period.
The Traffic Happy Hour System, introduced by the Mombasa County Government in 2019, was designed to ease congestion during peak hours by allowing free-flowing traffic along select routes. However, officials say some drivers are now exploiting the initiative.
Speaking to journalists on Thursday, CEC Manyala said the county government would take strict action against motorists who take advantage of the temporary traffic relief window to engage in reckless driving.
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“We have observed that during ‘happy hour’, after the County Inspectorate vehicle clears the road, tuktuks and bodabodas, both passenger and delivery, tend to speed behind the vehicle to avoid enforcement,” said Manyala.
He noted that such behavior is contributing to a spike in road crashes in the city.
“If you visit Coast General Hospital today, there is a dedicated ward for bodaboda accident victims. This is a situation we can no longer tolerate,” he said.
The CEC added that the conduct undermines ongoing county efforts to reduce road crashes and fatalities.
“Any vehicle found racing behind the happy hour clearance vehicle will be charged with a traffic offense, this includes county vehicles, government vehicles, military, and police vehicles,” he warned.