NTSA calls for road crashes to be declared a national disaster

The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) has called for road traffic crashes to be declared a national disaster following a head-on collision between a bus and a lorry along the Nairobi–Mombasa Highway that left at least 22 people dead on Sunday, October 25.

The accident occurred at around 7 a.m. in the Kanga area of Mtito Andei, Makueni County, killing 20 people on the spot, while two others later succumbed to injuries sustained in the crash.

Makueni County Commissioner Abdullahi Khalif had earlier confirmed 20 fatalities before the death toll rose to 22.

The bus involved in the collision belonged to a church and was carrying passengers returning home from a funeral service.

Reacting to the growing road safety concerns, NTSA said Kenya was facing a national emergency, with approximately 20,000 road crashes claiming more than 5,000 lives annually.

“Road safety is not just a transport issue; it is a national development and security priority,” the Authority said.

NTSA said declaring road traffic crashes a national disaster would mobilise urgent government action, secure adequate funding and strengthen coordination among road agencies, the National Police Service, the health sector and county governments.

The Authority added that the proposed declaration would establish clear accountability and measurable targets to reduce fatalities and serious injuries.

It warned that road crashes continue to destroy families, overwhelm the health system and undermine economic productivity, calling for coordinated action to protect lives and Kenya’s human capital.

The call comes amid mounting road safety concerns, with NTSA data showing that 3,995 people lost their lives in road crashes between January 1 and October 4, 2026, translating to an average of about 14 fatalities daily.

The data also recorded more than 9,000 serious injuries and over 6,000 slight injuries, with pedestrians and motorcyclists accounting for a large share of the fatalities.

NTSA has identified poor road infrastructure, driver behaviour and vehicle conditions among factors linked to road crashes.

According to the Authority, vehicle-related factors account for about 17 per cent of road crashes, adding that responsibility must also be assessed based on the condition of roads, road-user behaviour and the response after a crash.