Nominated Senator Karen Nyamu has been put on the spot after encouraging a motorist to defy traffic rules at a highway in Nairobi.
In a video seen by The Kenya Times, the nominated senator records herself as she orders her driver to commit a traffic offense by using the wrong side of the road.
“Ukiiba lazima uibe na confidence!” she can be heard telling her driver. This loosely translates to, “When you decide to steal you must steal with confidence,”
Nyamu was encouraging her driver to ‘steal’ (In this case avoid the round about as per the traffic rules) following a traffic snurl up caught up with them at the Kenyatta Avenue roundabout near the General Post Office (GPO)
According to the video, Senator Nyamu was rushing to the Senate Chambers while being chauffeured from the Serena Hotel Direction.
A motorist driving from the direction is expected to use the roundabout as per the traffic rules in order to join the lane moving towards the Mombasa Road direction.
Traffic Snurl-up at the Roundabout
However, traffic jams are common at the roundabout because vehicles converge from different directions which is what probably prompted Nyamu to lose patience.
Following the orders, the driver who was initially defiant, attempted the daring move completely using the wrong side of the road at the roundabout.
This led to a brief mix up with other motorists and motorcyclists as Karen Nyamu’s driver hastily accelerated to join the other lane heading towards the parliament direction.
A traffic officer is also seen at the roundabout as Karen utters to her driver that the officer must have recognized her vehicle as a parliament-bound one.
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Kenyans online reacted to the video, with a majority calling out the nominated senator for defying traffic rules because of her position in government.
Karen Nyamu Called Out
Renown activist Boniface Mwangi reacted, “Nominated Senator Karen Nyamu instructs her driver to “steal with confidence!” We give legislators a Sh5 million car grant, fuel that car for 5 years, pay their driver and bodyguard(s). Then they terrorize us on our roads by driving on the wrong side of the road. Disrespect.”
Another social media user named Odhiambo Felix Omondi reacted by describing the incident as a form of impunity.
“Worse off even recording and posting for us to see how we can do nothing about it,” he added.
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On the other hand, another user named Nyamori went on to question how Nyamu was able to defy traffic rules right in front of a traffic officer.
“What’s even annoying is she is breaking the law right in front of a law enforcer. A police officer in uniform is a symbol of authority, breaking law right before their eyes is highest level of impunity any nation can witness,” he said.
Other Kenyans were awed at how the nominated senator recorded herself making a traffic offense with a section also calling her out for endangering other motorists.
“This is endangering herself, the driver and other motorists. Should be charged in court of law. Kenyan impunity,” said another user.