Lawmakers or lawbreakers? The growing rot of VIP impunity on Kenyan roads

A video showing Kibra MP Peter Orero’s car flouting traffic rules and hurling insults at CNN journalist Larry Madowo has sparked outrage on social media.

In the clip, the lawmaker’s vehicle is seen driving on the wrong side of the road. When Madowo began filming, Orero is captured leaning out, telling him to “take the video to Ruto,” before the car sped off as his [Orero’s] driver shouted obscenities at the journalist.

The footage has reignited debate over the culture of impunity among political figures and senior government officials who routinely disregard traffic laws.

Many Kenyans took to social media to express their anger, calling out Orero, who The Standard has established is a former school principal, once known for his discipline, for his behavior.

‘’Is this the face of Kibra? Is this the man the late Ken Okoth entrusted to carry his legacy? Once a disciplined teacher, now a politician embodying arrogance and impunity. Kibra deserved better,” IT expert George Njoroge wrote on X.

Another user, Antony Irungu, averred, “Impunity at Parliament, impunity in the constituency, impunity on the road, impunity everywhere. Kenyan laws are only applicable to the poor.” 

Other netizens demanded action from authorities. “NTSA should arrest such people. This kind of indiscipline causes many road accidents,” said Bonaventure Nalugala.

“Truly, money doesn’t buy respect,” added another user identified as Camundi. “The leaders we elect keep humiliating us. Sad.”

Advocate James Wanjeri, who said Orero was once his high school teacher, recalled how he would punish them for being outside during prep time. “I’m shocked to see him breaking the law like this. Some animals are more equal than others.”

Let’s revisit

The incident is the latest in a string of similar episodes involving VIPs accused of abusing traffic rules.

In June this year, a motorist’s attempt to overtake in a traffic jam, allegedly on behalf of a political leader, was blocked by a woman who stood in front of the car with her arms akimbo, refusing to move.

In January 2020, activist Boniface Mwangi blocked a government convoy driving on the wrong side of the road. In a video he posted on his social media accounts, Mwangi could be heard telling the officials,

“You are on the wrong side. I’m not moving.” He later wrote, “I only give way to ambulances and fire engines. I block entitled civil servants and politicians who love to use sirens to avoid traffic.”

But it wasn’t Mwangi’s first rodeo with men in suits. In 2019, Mwangi refused to pave the way for a VIP motorcade using the wrong side of the road to avoid a traffic snarl-up.

Following the incident, the Inspector General of Police issued a directive outlining which VIPs are entitled to road clearance.

The list included the President, Deputy President, First Lady, Cabinet Secretaries for Interior, Defence, and Foreign Affairs, as well as the Principal Secretary for Interior, in category one. 

Category two covers the Chief of Defence Forces, service commanders, the Inspector General of Police, deputy inspectors of the Kenya Police and Administration Police, while category three includes the Speaker of the National Assembly and the Senate, and the Majority Leader.

Category four includes retired presidents and prime ministers, while category five includes ambulances and the fire brigade.

All other vehicles, including the government ones, were and are required to follow normal traffic procedures.

Following Orero’s incident, the National Police Service (NPS) warned VIPs against breaking traffic rules, noting that only authorised emergency and state motorcades are exempt.

"If we obtain that clip, then we will get the registration number of the vehicle, after which we will summon whoever was driving that particular vehicle for questioning," said Fredrick Ochieng', NPS traffic commandant, during an interview with a local station.

But at the time of publication, the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) had yet to comment or take action on the matter.