Drunk Drivers in Kenya to be Punished by Working in Morgues
Drunk driving in Kenya could now attract a punishment of working in mortuaries if new guidelines by the transport and safety agency are adopted.
The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) director general Francis Meja says the agency plans to have drunk drivers attend to the dead in morgues in a bid to reduce road carnage and discourage drunk driving.
“We cannot have notorious drunk drivers causing accidents yet when they appear in court the penalty is very lenient. Once we have the new policy ready then we shall ensure it becomes law,” said Francis Meja.
The proposal has however attracted backlash from morticians. In a statement in Monday, Ezra Olack, who is the chairperson of the National Funeral Services Association of Kenya, said the body will not allow any infiltration of the duties. "Stop demeaning our profession. The work we do is very important," he told The Star.
He added: "We have codes of ethics and conduct that all our staff have to abide by. This is not something we do while abusing substances."
"We are not going to allow people to come and ruin our profession. The person who said that must have been joking. But if he was not joking, those who will be told to work in funeral homes can sue him," Olak said.
"One has to be trained on all this. If we allowed any Tom, Dick and Harry to do it, many families would be receiving their loved ones' bodies in bad condition," he added.
Comments (8)
I'VE QUIT DRIVING.
Go ahead we do not need drunks disrespecting the dead. There are no jobs in Kenya even the dead do not want drunks
Francis that sounds like law of the jungle and is not sustainable. Why not invest in more sound initiatives than this scare and sensational stunt. Seal all traffic offences loopholes, enforce strict traffic rules, improve your roads and use law as a deterrent not punishment.
That is total nonsense. Don't they know that morticians go to college for training? You cannot not just take walevi to morgue without training
This is the problem with our kenya. People who are not qualified for certain positions are offered those jobs through nepotism, tribalism etc. where does one come up with such a stupid idea? I agree with the post above that, being mortician is not a job for a drunkard or for an idiot who dropped out of school. These are jobs and the idiot who suggested this should apologize and lose his job. Why cannt they study the problem and out in place sustainable measures? Don’t just wake from stupidity and say the fines will be100 thousand for first offense without understanding this will promote more corruption on the police .
Franco hata wewe UNACHEKESHA. Or you thick a Drunk will SOBER Up at seeing the dead. Nope! Instead the drunks will looking at the dead and be going: "Wow! These guys are drunk than us!! Kwani walikunywa nini? Na ni Mrija aina gani walitumia?"
Why does everything in Kenya has to be by the iron hand. Stop drunk driving or else. File your return or else. Throw away plastic bags or else. We needed a more proactive approach of doing things. Alcohol manifactureres should provide free transport for all drunk drivers
I agree with the national funeral services association.They should not allow this "drunks" to work there.
If the penalties are lenient,simply make them harsh. Hit them in the pocket,and have the money go to help the victims of drunk drivers. And if you are caught the thirdtime,no penalty,but 8 years in prison,and when you come out you will never driver. Is that harsh enough?