Mombasa cracks down on speeding ahead of festive season as road deaths soar

The Mombasa County Government has launched a month-long crackdown on speeding, prompted by newly released data showing that dangerous driving remains one of the county’s most persistent causes of fatal road accidents.

The campaign, titled Slow Down or Face the Consequences, was announced on Thursday alongside the publication of the Mombasa Road Safety Report 2024, which paints a stark picture of how excessive speed continues to claim lives both in the coastal city and nationwide.

According to the report, traffic observations conducted between December 2022 and August 2024 found that between a fifth and just over a quarter of motorists routinely exceeded the legal speed limit.

The study also notes a steady rise in average speeds, from 39 km/h to 44 km/h over the same period.

Larger vehicles, such as SUVs and light commercial pickups, were identified as the worst offenders, followed by saloon cars, motorcyclists, and minibuses. Pedestrians and passengers remain the most vulnerable to the consequences of such behaviour.

Speeding over weekends

The data further indicates that speeding increases noticeably over weekends, suggesting a spike in reckless driving when roads are less monitored.

County officials say these findings justify intensified enforcement, particularly as holiday travel typically leads to a rise in serious accidents.

The county’s Transport Executive, Daniel Manyala, described the trends highlighted in the report as a wake-up call. He said the combination of enforcement and public messaging is intended to curb the rising number of speed-related crashes.

He added that the county’s partnership with the Bloomberg Philanthropies Initiative for Global Road Safety has helped improve the quality of road safety data used to plan interventions.

The new enforcement push will target corridors classified as high-risk, including the Mombasa–Nairobi Road, the Mombasa–Malindi Road, the Likoni–Ukunda route, the Port Reitz–Airport stretch, and the Makupa Causeway.

Police in the Coast region will deploy newly acquired radar guns, alongside increased patrols, reflector gear, and warning beacons.

Heightened police presence

The Coast Regional Traffic Officer, George Kashimiri, warned motorists that officers would maintain a heightened presence throughout the festive season.

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• Coast Regional Traffic Police
• Mombasa cracks down on speeding ahead of festive season as road deaths soar
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“We expect all drivers to comply with speed limits. Enforcement will be visible, and those who choose to ignore the law should expect firm action,” he said.

The campaign follows last year’s Slow Down – Speed Kills initiative, which reached a significant portion of drivers but failed to change attitudes sufficiently.

Post-campaign assessments revealed that many motorists overlooked police checks, and a considerable number still believed it was acceptable to exceed the limit if they felt in control of their vehicle.

Road safety experts say such perceptions highlight the need for stronger and more sustained measures.

Dr Raphael Awuah of Vital Strategies said the latest figures demonstrate the importance of detailed data in identifying where lives are most at risk and how to intervene.

Over the next four weeks, the campaign will run across billboards, radio, social media, and community outreach programmes. Enforcement teams will focus on peak travel periods as thousands of residents move around the region for the holidays.

County authorities are urging drivers to take responsibility, warning that failure to respect speed limits during the festive season will result in penalties and could lead to avoidable loss of life.