Economy

President Ruto reverts NTSA to Transport ministry

ntsa

National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) and Traffic Police officers during a crackdown on Passenger Service Vehicles (PSV) flouting road safety rules along Kibarani in Mombasa. PHOTO | KEVIN ODIT | NMG

The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) has reverted to its parent Transport ministry following President William Ruto’s first presidential decree reorganising his government.

Dr Ruto, through Executive Order No.1 of 2023 on Monday, withdrew the road safety agency from the Ministry of Interior, placing it under the State Department of Transport.

“The Executive Order is issued following the full constitution of Cabinet, the ranks of principal secretaries in all ministries and state departments and the other senior ranks of the executive,” Chief of Staff and Head of Public Service Felix Koskei said.

NTSA was domiciled to the Interior ministry, citing the need to enhance and facilitate smooth coordination of services as its key stakeholders, such as traffic police and prisons, which make vehicle number plates, are under the ministry.

But the deployment of NTSA officers created controversy, forcing President Uhuru Kenyatta to issue a directive in 2019 ordering them off the roads, limiting their role to motor vehicle inspections, and providing technical support to police who enforce the Traffic Act.

NTSA was established through an Act of Parliament in October 2012.

Other changes

Dr Ruto has also put his deputy Rigathi Gachagua in charge of the coffee sector reforms. This comes just weeks after the DP vowed to ruthlessly deal with and dismantle cartels in the coffee, tea, and milk subsectors starting this year.

Additionally, President Ruto has put Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi in charge of the Government Delivery Services, an agency that replaces the Presidential Delivery Unit.

The President has also elevated their offices, assigning Mr Gachagua and Mr Mudavadi two principal secretaries each instead of the principal administrative secretaries as earlier indicated.

- Additional reporting by Justus Ochieng'