The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) has strengthened its collaboration with county governments in an effort to curb the escalating number of road fatalities in the country.
NTSA Director General George Njau said the partnership will see the establishment of County Transport and Safety Committees that will help address road safety and public transport within the counties.
Njau said key pillars for the counties are to improve the lives of their residents, including improved road accessibility networks, serving pedestrian walkways and enhancing motorised services to this effect.
Speaking in Naivasha in a meeting with seven counties from Nakuru, Kakamega, Kericho, Kisumu, Makueni, Nairobi and Siaya, Njau said the counties will play a pivotal role in tackling increased fatalities for road users.
“These seven counties lie along the busy Northern Corridor from Mombasa through Nairobi to the Malaba border, which has in the past recorded increased road accidents and will be key in this initiative, ” he said.
Njau said the agency will engage all the counties in the formation of these committees, which will enhance the quality of life for residents by improving accessibility, maintaining pedestrian walkways, and upgrading non-infrastructure services.
“This initiative underscores NTSA’s commitment to fostering robust partnerships with county administrations to tackle the multifaceted factors contributing to road user and pedestrian fatalities,” said the Director General.
He added that the engagements will help coordinate activities that will lead to a long-term overall reduction in road accident numbers by onboarding measures and interventions in the County Development Plans.
Njau said NTSA’s approach is not centred on penalising traffic offenders but rather on proactive engagement and dissemination of critical information to resolve issues leading to increased fatalities at the county level.
Consequently, Njau said that pedestrians and boda bodas are the most vulnerable groups, noting that counties must seek to improve pedestrian walkways, clear markings, and adequate signage among the measures being implemented to safeguard these groups.
Nairobi County’s County Executive for Mobility and Chair of the Nairobi City County Transport and Safety Committee, Ibrahim Auma, lauded the collaboration, which he said will help address common issues that drive increased fatalities and injuries for road users.
He added that the county is undertaking the registration of boda boda operators and their respective saccos to promote discipline on the roads.
Auma said Nairobi City County is also funding and investing in the construction of safe passageways for all pedestrians to minimise accidents and fatalities.
On his part, Kericho County Commissioner Gilbert Kitiyo expressed optimism about the enhanced collaboration through the committees, noting that over 70% of road users are in rural areas and are critical in the reduction of fatalities.
“The National Government Administrative Officers (NGAO) will help formulate necessary messaging in languages that are well understood by all road users towards a safe and reliable transport system to reduce fatalities,” said Kitiyo.
Data from NTSA reveals that between January and December 2024, over 4,000 people lost their lives in road crashes, where pedestrians accounted for a significant portion of these fatalities, with 1,600 deaths reported.
In addition, the data also indicates a reduced number of fatalities as compared to the year 2023, which recorded over 5,000 fatalities, which was among the deadliest.
To combat the unfortunate incidents, the Ministry of Roads and Transport, through NTSA, has launched the 2024–2028 Road Safety Action Plan in a bid to address deaths from road accidents.
The plan also seeks to reverse economic devastation meted out to victims of road carnages and their families, with statistics estimating that Kenya’s economy loses over Sh450 billion annually due to these accidents.
Furthermore, the plan heralds a new frontier of ensuring all drivers for public and school buses are sensitised regularly, as well as the integration of boda boda riders towards an accident-free nation.
The plan also seeks to tap and adopt modern technology as key pillars of road safety measures, including the installation of speed and surveillance cameras along major highways and the use of instant fines for violators.
With Kenya having registered over 2.5 million boda bodas, of which 1.9 million are active, counties have been tapped to ensure more regulations of the sector to ensure efficiency and high standards for the sector.
By Erastus Gichohi and Immaculate Kariuki
