The father of a youngster who was observed in Machakos County driving a car at a high rate of speed while en route to school has been captured by Kenyan authorities.
The Athi River police detained the 40-year-old man for giving his 9-year-old child control of his Toyota Passo.
According to Mary Njoki, the sub-county police commander for Athi River, drivers who saw the child driving on Mombasa Road quickly contacted authorities, which resulted in a car pursuit.
Police stopped the car and discovered the school-dressed youngster happily seated in the driver’s seat, with his father seated in the front passenger seat.
Additionally, it was discovered that the courageous child’s 7-year-old sister sat in the back passenger seat.
Police told Standard Media that when the minor was told to stop, he “sped towards Athi River Township,” according to the police.
However, the security personnel were successful in stopping the car at a detour going to the kids’ school.
While their children were later driven to school by police personnel, their father was taken to the Athi River Police Station.
In Kenya, it is against the law for anyone to let someone drive their unlicensed vehicle, which could include (private and public automobiles, buses, lorries, and others), according to Njoki.
Section 30 (Sub-Section 2) of the Traffic Act says: “No person who owns or who has charge of a motor vehicle of any class shall cause or permit any person to drive such motor vehicle unless such person is the holder of a valid driving licence or a valid provisional licence endorsed in respect of that class of motor vehicle.
“Any person who contravenes or fails to comply with this section shall be guilty of an offence and liable — on first conviction to a fine not exceeding twenty thousand shillings or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months; and on each subsequent conviction to a fine not exceeding thirty thousand shillings or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or to both such fine and imprisonment.”
The 40-year-old suspect will be charged in the Mavoko Law Courts, according to the police chief.
Parents should not allow their children to drive vehicles. A driver’s license is only issued to Kenyans aged 18 years and above. If an unlicensed driver is allowed to drive, he or she endangers his or her life and that of other road users,” Njoki said.
