Government rolls out enhanced road safety measures, mobile courts to curb rising road crashes ahead of festive season

Kenyans should expect tighter road safety enforcement starting Monday, December 15, 2025, as the government rolls out enhanced measures, including mobile traffic courts, increased patrols and closer supervision along major highways to reduce accidents.

Speaking after chairing a special meeting with the National Council on the Administration of Justice (NCAJ), Chief Justice Martha Koome said the strategy aims to improve traffic management and protect lives during the festive season. She said the government, in collaboration with justice and security sector agencies, has adopted a coordinated approach to improve road safety nationwide.

“We must all work together to ensure the smooth movement of persons and goods across the country during the festive season and beyond,” Koome said.

The CJ outlined plans to strengthen multi-agency coordination, enhance joint enforcement and ensure information sharing to unify traffic law enforcement. She announced the deployment of mobile traffic courts using both physical and electronic systems, involving officers from the National Police Service (NPS), Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), Judiciary, National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA), Kenya Prisons Service, Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), and Law Society of Kenya.

Koome stressed that mobile courts will allow immediate charging of offenders along major corridors.

“We want to strengthen multi-agency coordination and information sharing for a unified and practical approach to enforcing traffic rules and regulations and the overall administration of justice during the festive season and beyond. We will deploy mobile courts using physical and electronic means as a deterrent and enforcement measure with close collaboration with officers from the National Police Service, ODPP, Judiciary, NTSA, EACC, Kenya Prisons Service, and LSK," she said.

She emphasised that motorists requiring legal representation will be given time to contact their advocates, and daily updates on court locations will be shared.

Additionally, Koome said strategic roadblocks will be increased for vehicle and motorcycle inspections. EACC officers will also be deployed to patrol highways to enforce laws and deter corruption, with Koome warning that bribes will not be accepted.

“Do not pay any bribe when arrested. There will be monitoring of human rights violations," she said.

Kenyans have been urged to ensure their vehicles are roadworthy, particularly motorbikes violating traffic rules. Motorists have also been warned against speeding, drunk driving and dangerous overtaking. Koome said members of the public can report concerns through toll-free numbers 999, 911 and 112, with the national command centre operating 24 hours.

The Chief Justice cited early December figures showing at least 28 deaths from road accidents, with more than half occurring in the past two days. She noted that NTSA will reinforce surveillance along high-risk corridors to ensure compliance, while EACC will target motorists and traffic officers engaging in corruption.

The CJ urged all road users to exercise caution, noting that pedestrians and other innocent motorists are often victims of reckless driving. Kenyans have also been advised to strictly follow traffic rules to prevent loss of life, injuries and traffic congestion.

“We must put in place elaborate and diverse measures to enhance road safety and prevent traffic-related deaths. Most of the time, people are innocent, either as pedestrians or drivers, and someone else causes the accident,” she said.

National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula had earlier expressed concern over rising road accidents, mourning victims, including ex-Lugari MP Cyrus Jirongo. He highlighted Sunday night’s Kisumu–Chabera crash, which killed 10 people, mostly from the same family returning from a wedding, and called for responsible driving during the holidays.

Nyamira County Director of Medical Services Jared Oeba reported six injured patients from the Chabera accident, with four stable, one undergoing surgery and another under observation. The county has set up a committee to assist families with medical bills and burial expenses.

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Last Saturday saw eight fatalities, including two children under two, in a head-on collision between a matatu and a trailer along the Kisii–Kericho road. Nyamira Governor Amos Nyaribo provided support to survivors and families.

On Monday, 28 passengers were injured when an Easy Coach Ltd bus collided with a trailer on the Nairobi–Nakuru highway near Salgaa. Twelve were critically injured and hospitalised, while 16 received treatment on site. Police and Kenya Red Cross teams responded to the scene, and investigations are ongoing.

According to NTSA, road fatalities in Kenya reached 4,458 as of early December 2025, surpassing 4,311 in 2024. Unsafe road behaviour, including speeding, fatigue, drunk driving, dangerous overtaking and lane indiscipline, remains the primary cause.

Pedestrians are most at risk, followed by motorcyclists and passengers. The Authority said road crashes are estimated to cost the country between three per cent and five per cent of GDP annually.

Authorities have urged motorists to maintain roadworthy vehicles and adhere strictly to traffic regulations to prevent further loss of life during the festive season.