By KPC Reporter
Various stakeholders participated during a roadshow to mark this year’s United Nations Global Road Safety Week in Kisii.
They included the Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KeRRA), the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA), the County Government of Kisii (CGK) and Red Cross Kenya.
The biennial initiative, which was launched in 2007, seeks to raise awareness and promote action on road safety worldwide.
It involved a walk between KeRRA offices-Kisii, up to Capital Roundabout at the central business district, and public addresses at Egesa and Getare junctions on the outskirts of the town.
Themed “Make Walking and Cycling Safe. It highlighted the urgent need to protect vulnerable road users, the event aimed at encouraging Kenyans to participate in halving road traffic deaths and injuries by 2030.
“We encourage you to share this message from us, that safe road practices will foster a culture of safety and responsibility on our roads,” said Adoh Aden, who is the NTSA regional manager.
Aden observed that in Kisii, pedestrians and motorcyclists are among the main road users, adding that by promoting safe walking and cycling, residents can achieve broader goals of public health, environmental sustainability, and equitable urban development.
Shem Omari, who is an engineer with KeRRA-Kisii, said riders play a significant role due to their ease of access to remote areas and encouraged them to cascade the message to the villages.
Red Cross-Kenya’s Henry Sanya who covers Kisii and Nyamira counties asked residents to learn fast aid tips so that they can be effective immediate responders in case of an accident.
“Those seconds you spend taking pictures at an accident scene can save someone’s life,” Sanya said.
Participants observed that sustainable road safety improvements require a combination of awareness, education, infrastructure development, and enforcement.
“Community involvement and inter-agency collaboration are critical to making roads safer for all, particularly for vulnerable users such as pedestrians and cyclists,” said Engineer Omari.
In 2024, Kenya reported 4,748 fatalities resulting from traffic crashes compared to 4,324 the previous year, translating to an increase of 9.81%.
The report by NTSA says that of those deaths, 1,801 (37.93%) were pedestrians.
