Government Eyes Multi-Agency Crackdown to Curb Road Carnage

By Mbungu Harrison

Email, thecoastnewspaper@gmail.com

The government is planning a coordinated, multi-agency crackdown to combat the alarming rise in road accidents that continue to claim thousands of lives annually, transport cabinet secretary Davis Chirchir has announced.

Speaking during a high-level Inter-Agency Road Safety Convention in Mombasa on September 18, 2025, the secretary said the government was developing strict regulatory measures and enforcement strategies to curb what he described as a national crisis.

“We are losing over 4,000 Kenyans every year to road accidents. Most of them are breadwinners. This is a crisis that requires urgent, united action,” he said.

The CS revealed that the Ministry of Transport, in collaboration with the National Police Service, the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA), and other agencies, was rolling out a multi-agency road safety strategy to tackle issues ranging from reckless driving to the use of counterfeit vehicle parts.

“As a government, we are working not only on policy but also on budgetary support and inter-agency coordination. We cannot win this war alone.”

The crackdown will also target the growing menace of counterfeit and substandard vehicle parts, which experts say are silently contributing to many fatal accidents.

Anti-Counterfeit Authority Executive Director Mbugua Njoroge disclosed that since 2020, the agency has seized fake auto parts worth over KSh 300 million, including brake pads and brake fluids some of which have been linked to mechanical failures on the road.

“These substandard products are putting lives at risk. Because they are cheap, they flood the market and are widely used,” he said.

NTSA director general George Njau said corruption among traffic officers remains a major challenge in road safety enforcement.

However, he reiterated the agency’s zero-tolerance stance and commitment to working with the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) to eliminate corrupt practices.

“We are actively monitoring and disciplining any officers involved in corruption. This is a corruption-free institution,” he stated.

Representing the national police service (NPS), traffic liaison officer Musyoki Mutungi noted that more than 2,000 traffic officers have been trained over the last two years to boost road discipline and professional standards.

“Corruption is a pandemic we are addressing head-on. We’ve introduced anonymous reporting systems and are working closely with EACC to arrest and prosecute any officers found guilty,” he said.

The government is also embracing technology-driven solutions.

According to transport principal secretary Mohamed Daghar, plans are underway to implement smart systems for traffic enforcement, including digital surveillance and automated penalties.

“We are focusing on intelligent transport systems. These include tech-based enforcement tools to monitor compliance in real-time,” he said.

In addition, Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA) is set to roll out an E-Police system that will automatically issue fines to traffic offenders in urban areas — a move expected to curb dangerous driving behaviours.

“This system will allow for instant penalties, acting as a deterrent and reducing the need for physical enforcement,” said Eng Wilfred Oginga from KURA.

The Mombasa forum, attended by key stakeholders from across the transport sector, marked the launch of the National Road Safety Action Plan (2024–2028). The plan outlines priority areas, including enforcement, infrastructure improvement, public education, and policy reform.

The CS also announced that road safety education was being incorporated into school curricula, aimed at cultivating long-term behavioural change among the youth.

Jomvu MP Badi Twalib, who is also a member of the Parliamentary Transport Committee, welcomed the initiative and called for greater media support in amplifying government efforts.

“This government has shown strong commitment. It’s time the media also highlighted the progress being made rather than focusing only on failures,” he said.

The stakeholders also urged the establishment of a clear framework defining the roles of county and national governments in road safety, to eliminate overlaps and improve coordination.

With over 4,000 lives lost annually and road crashes costing the country nearly 5% of its GDP, the government’s multi-agency strategy marks a significant shift in Kenya’s war on road carnage.

The coming months will test the success of these measures and whether collaboration can turn the tide.