Regional Leaders Unite for Road Safety in Mombasa, Kenya

By Mbungu Harrison

Email, thecoastnewspaper@gmail.com

Forty-three senior leaders from seven African countries have reafirmed their commitment to advance road safety and partnerships across the continent.

This was evident duriing a continental meeting in Mombasa, Kenya, for the Road Safety Executive Leadership Course 2025 (RSELC) — a flagship training initiative supported by the Bloomberg Philanthropies Initiative for Global Road Safety (BIGRS).

The week-long course is hosted and co-delivered by the Johns Hopkins University International Injury Research Unit (JH-IIRU) and the Global Road Safety Partnership (GRSP).

The program brings together a diverse group of participants, including heads of national transport agencies, traffic commissioners, a member of parliament, and departmental directors — all dedicated to advancing road safety across the continent.

The RSELC provides an intensive platform for knowledge exchange, leadership development, and strategic planning, strengthening national and regional efforts to reduce road traffic injuries and fatalities.

The curriculum focuses on evidence-based interventions, behavior change communication, and data-driven approaches to road safety management.

In his opening remarks, Daniel Manyala, Mombasa County Executive Committee Member for Transport and Public Works, County Government of Mombasa, reaffirmed the County’s commitment to safer mobility systems.

“Road safety leadership is critical to saving lives.The commitment shown by these leaders underscores the growing momentum across Africa to make roads safer for all,”said Manyala.

Dr. Abdulgafoor Bachani, Director of the Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit (JH-IIRU), expressed his enthusiasm for hosting the course in his hometown of Mombasa.

“This course is equipping senior road safety professionals with tools to deliver measurable impact on Africa’s roads.We hope that this week’s dialogue will foster lasting partnerships and accelerate progress toward safer, more resilient transport systems,”said Dr. Bachani.

Through the BIGRS program, Bloomberg Philanthropies continues to support governments and partner organizations in implementing proven interventions and strengthening leadership capacity to prevent traffic crashes and save lives.

Across Africa, the initiative has played a vital role in advancing data systems, policy reforms, and road safety action plans that are making cities safer and more livable.

Participants from the seven countries have pledged to apply the lessons from this program to reinforce leadership at both national and local levels, enhance stakeholder collaboration, and align road safety priorities with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The RSELC forms part of BIGRS’s ongoing investment in leadership development for government officials and road safety practitioners — empowering them with the vision, tools, and partnerships necessary to drive meaningful, lasting change.

The Bloomberg Philanthropies Initiative for Global Road Safety (BIGRS) works with leading organizations around the world to implement proven interventions that save lives from road traffic crashes.

By collaborating with in-country governmental and non-governmental partners, BIGRS provides technical support in enforcement, infrastructure, data systems, and communication to strengthen road safety policies and practices globally….