Kenya’s Ministry of Transport has launched an urgent multi-agency operation targeting the country’s most notorious accident black spots following a troubling spike in road fatalities.
In a statement on Monday, August 12, Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir announced that the team, comprising officials from various government agencies, has been tasked with completing a detailed investigation within seven days.
Their mission includes reconstructing accident scenes to determine exact causes and identifying safety gaps along high-risk road segments.
“Following this spike in crashes involving public service vehicles, private and commercial vehicles, officials drawn from various agencies are conducting safety audits on the road segments to identify safety deficiencies and to reconstruct the scenes,” Chirchir said. “The team is expected to complete the exercise within seven days and submit technical recommendations for implementation to avert unnecessary loss of lives.”
The urgency of the initiative comes as grim statistics reveal 2,933 road fatalities since the start of the year—80 of them recorded in just the past four days. Chirchir emphasised that road accidents are “highly preventable” if all stakeholders, including drivers, pedestrians, boda boda riders, and cyclists, strictly adhere to traffic laws.
Beyond immediate interventions, the ministry has pledged a series of long-term safety measures. These include stricter enforcement of road safety laws, tighter regulations for school and commercial transport, enhanced vehicle inspections, and stiffer penalties for drunk driving. Infrastructure upgrades are also in focus, with plans to reconstruct the infamous Nithi Bridge and dual the Rironi–Mau Summit road to improve traffic flow and safety.
“As a ministry, we will continue working with all stakeholders to implement both long- and medium-term measures outlined in Kenya’s National Road Safety Action Plan 2024–2028,” Chirchir noted.
The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) will complement these efforts through intensified public education campaigns to drive behavior and attitude change, a critical step in reversing Kenya’s rising road carnage.
