Transport authorities have cautioned Kenyans to stay vigilant on the roads this festive season, even as they promise stricter patrols, mobile courts and enforcement to curb accidents and save lives.
Kenya’s transport sector is bracing for one of its busiest travel periods, with matatu operators and safety agencies warning of rising cases of reckless driving, fatigue, mechanical neglect and general indiscipline on major highways.
To this end, the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) and the police have indicated that they will deploy their officers on the roads to ensure drivers are complying with the law.
Dr Andrew Kiplagat, NTSA’s director of road safety, said Monday that road safety is a shared responsibility.
“Every stakeholder has a role to play—from ensuring vehicles are roadworthy to making sure drivers comply with the law,” he said at a stakeholders' meeting in Nairobi.
Mr Fredrick Ochieng', traffic commandant in the National Police Service, detailed the police measures, including 24/7 patrols on major highways, particularly at night when accidents peak. Officers will also use speed guns, breathalysers and mobile courts to apprehend and fine offenders on the spot.
“This strategy will reduce cases of bribery and ensure instant justice for drivers breaking the law,” he said.
NTSA also emphasised the role of speed limiters in public service vehicles, noting that malfunctioning devices contribute to accidents. During the festive season, PSV operators will be allowed to have their vehicles rechecked for free by speed limiter suppliers.
Mr Kushian Muchiri, the Federation of Public Transport Sector CEO, highlighted the need for better communication between authorities and vehicle owners to prevent repeat offences.
“We are building a platform to monitor drivers’ offenses across different vehicles and employers. This will ensure repeat offenders face stricter penalties, and driver behavior improves,” Moshiri said.
Mr Gitonga Kieru, Chairman, Speed Governor and Road Safety Association, reassured that PSVs and commercial vehicles with speed governors can return to suppliers for free festive season checks.
“This is not an individual exercise but a sector-wide initiative to ensure safety,” he said.
The Matatu Sacco Owners Association says the December surge in long-distance travel has historically coincided with a spike in crashes, many linked to unroadworthy vehicles and overworked drivers.
The association's second deputy president, Mr Salim Mbarak, said the sector must reinforce safety protocols and ensure strict compliance if deaths are to be reduced this festive season.
“This is peak travel season. All vehicles must be serviced, roadworthy and handled by sober, rested drivers,” he said, in a separate interview.
He warned operators against pushing town-service vehicles into long-distance routes to maximise profits. Mr Mbarak added that some operators ignore essential mechanical checks, releasing vehicles with worn-out parts, faulty brakes or overdue servicing, factors frequently noted in NTSA accident reports.
He urged NTSA and traffic officers to intensify checks along the Mombasa–Nairobi, Nairobi–Kisumu and Nairobi–Eldoret highways to curb speeding, overlapping and overloading.
He also called for firm action against intoxicated crews and asked county and national governments to fix missing or faint road signs, especially near sharp bends, bumps and high-risk zones.
Fatigue, he said, remains an overlooked danger as drivers attempt multiple trips without rest. Road safety reports show fatigue-related crashes often occur late at night or early morning after long driving hours.
The association also urged passengers to refuse overloaded vehicles, speak up against reckless driving and report misconduct.
“Passengers should not fear complaining. Your voice can save lives,” he said.
According to the NTSA records, from January to November, over 3,000 people died in road accidents.
NTSA deputy director and head of Motor Vehicle Inspection Opere Nyaroya, said the authority aims to cut holiday fatalities by at least 50 per cent under the National Road Safety Action Plan 2024–29. He raised concern over pedestrian deaths, noting that 1,460 pedestrians have died since January, making them the most at-risk group.
In Mombasa, County Commissioner Mohammed Nur said police and county traffic officers will conduct joint patrols to ease congestion and speed up emergency response.
“We are telling drivers to be cautious because traffic volume will be high. We are working with traffic officers to ensure smooth movement,” he said.
Boda boda operators were urged to remain disciplined and help identify unfamiliar or suspicious riders at stages as part of broader security surveillance. NTSA will now require drivers arrested during enforcement operations to undergo mandatory re-testing.
According to the Acting Director-General Angela Wanjira, the decision follows a 2.6 percent rise in crash victims this year. The re-testing initiative will rely heavily on the Intelligent Road Safety Management System (IRSMS), a digital platform launched in 2023 that monitors speed, braking patterns, route discipline and reckless overtaking on public service and commercial vehicles.
The system automatically flags violators and sends alerts to enforcement teams. NTSA will use these alerts to identify drivers who need refresher training before they are cleared to return to the road.
“Through analysing violations, we can identify risky behaviour early and ensure drivers undergo necessary retraining,” the authority said in a statement.
Meanwhile, authorities in Mombasa have mapped out areas where unsupervised youths gather in large numbers, suspected to be planning criminal activities during the festive season. Mr Nur, said police patrols will be intensified in such areas, including public parks, estates and beachfronts, especially at night, to curb drug use, loitering and potential exploitation of children.
The city has in past years experienced a spike in criminal teenage gang activities during festive seasons. Some of the areas where such incidents are often reported are in Kisauni, Likoni, Nyali and parts of Mvita sub-counties.
