Senators Press for Action as Kenya’s Road Deaths Pass 4,000

• Nov 20, 2025

Kenya’s rising road fatalities have sparked renewed concern in the Senate, with lawmakers now pushing the government to urgently strengthen road safety measures as the country records more than 4,100 deaths this year. The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) has also begun rolling out new interventions as the festive travel season approaches and risks on major highways increase.

Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah led the call for immediate action on Wednesday, urging the Senate to investigate the country’s deteriorating road conditions and demand accountability from relevant authorities. He pointed to poorly lit highways, missing or damaged road signs, unmarked bumps, and unroadworthy vehicles as some of the major contributors to the rising fatalities. Omtatah further stressed that corruption in traffic policing and weaknesses in driver licensing systems remain serious threats to public safety.

NTSA echoed these concerns, describing the 2024 road death figures as alarming. Speaking during the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims, Acting NTSA Director General Angela Wanjira said the authority has begun implementing measures to improve road discipline and identify high-risk drivers. She outlined plans to subject drivers flagged through the agency’s monitoring systems to mandatory re-testing to ensure they remain competent on the road.

One of the key tools in NTSA’s strategy is the Intelligent Road Safety Management System (IRSMS), launched in 2023. The platform tracks public service and commercial vehicles by monitoring behaviours such as speeding, heavy braking, and unauthorized route changes. When violations occur, IRSMS sends alerts that enable NTSA to quickly identify drivers who repeatedly break safety rules.

Omtatah told the Senate that several major roads—including the Nairobi–Mombasa highway, the Malaba–Eldoret corridor, and the Eldoret–Malaba route—remain unsafe due to poor visibility and inadequate signage. He added that despite existing police checkpoints, many vehicles that are not roadworthy continue to operate freely, raising questions about enforcement and potential misconduct by officers.

He also raised concerns about irregular practices in some driving schools, claiming that corruption involving NTSA personnel and instructors has made it easier for unqualified drivers to obtain licences.

Omtatah asked the Senate Standing Committee on Roads and Transportation to examine the government’s plans for improving road lighting, signage, and overall safety. He further requested a review of mechanisms to regulate driving schools and ensure that only competent drivers are allowed on Kenyan roads.