The Motorists Association of Kenya (MAK) has launched a campaign urging motorists and transport operators to take greater responsibility for the rising number of road deaths. In a statement, the association warned of firm sanctions, restrictions and possible bans against reckless road users. The campaign targets a wide range of road users, including private motorists, public service vehicle operators, truck drivers and motorcycle riders.
The association challenged motorists to take responsibility for their conduct, urging them to avoid speeding, dangerous overtaking, drunk driving, overloading and distracted driving. It also called on passengers and other road users to document dangerous driving and report it through appropriate channels. Such evidence could support investigations and accountability, subject to verification and due process.
The campaign comes amid a sharp increase in road fatalities. National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) data showed that 3,995 people died in road crashes between January 1 and October 4, 2026, representing a 9.2 per cent increase from the 3,657 deaths recorded during a similar period in 2025. Pedestrians accounted for the largest share of fatalities at 1,490.
The Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) Economic Survey 2026 reported 5,009 road deaths in 2025, up from 4,748 in 2024. The figures come amid a series of deadly crashes along major highways, including the October 3 collision near Salama that killed seventeen people and the October 25 crash at Kanga near Mtito Andei that claimed twenty-four lives.
The association also called for road safety to be treated as a national disaster, requiring coordinated intervention by the government, transport industry and road users. MAK said enforcement agencies could not be everywhere at all times, making self-regulation essential in preventing crashes.
NTSA has identified more than 270 accident black spots nationally, including 199 along the Mombasa-Malaba Northern Corridor. MAK said the scale of the fatalities demanded action from all stakeholders, warning against allowing commercial interests, indiscipline and institutional failures to take precedence over human life.
The association said it would not spare its own members in its push to address what it described as a national calamity. MAK urged motorists to challenge one another, correct one another and hold one another accountable, regardless of status, vehicle ownership, profession or influence.
Key points
- The Motorists Association of Kenya has warned of sanctions against reckless drivers in a renewed push to curb rising road deaths.
- The association is targeting a wide range of road users, including private motorists, public service vehicle operators, truck drivers and motorcycle riders.
- Road fatalities in Kenya have increased sharply, with 3,995 people dying in road crashes between January 1 and October 4, 2026.
