Kenya road crashes claim 3,369 lives in 2024 as Masengeli calls out traffic officers for soliciting bribes

Data released by the National Police Service (NPS) reveals that 3,369 people have died from road crashes between January and September 16, 2024.

This comes as Acting Inspector General of Police Gilbert Masengeli on Tuesday raised concerns over the rising number of road crashes.

The data reveals that out of the total fatalities, 1,281 were pedestrians, followed by 825 motorcyclists, 654 passengers, and 281 drivers.

Additionally, it shows that road accidents affected a total of 16,979 individuals in the first nine months of 2024.

These figures indicate a slight increase in road fatalities compared to the same period last year when 3,151 people lost their lives in traffic accidents.

Masengeli at the same time urged the public to adhere to traffic regulations to prevent further loss of life as he issued a stern warning to traffic officers engaging in bribery on Kenyan roads.

Traffic police officers on the spot

Speaking at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Training Academy in Nairobi, Masengeli, while acknowledging that some road users are responsible for the accidents, he pointed out that certain officers have failed in their duties by soliciting bribes from motorists.

He addressed the issue following a meeting with Regional Traffic Enforcement Officers from across the country. The meeting, which aimed to tackle the surge in road accidents, highlighted the loss of lives and the suffering endured by families as a result.

Acting Police IG Gilbert Masengeli addressing the meida at the Police Pavillion in Nairobi on September 17, 2024. (Photo: Justine Ondieki)

“Some officers have not been playing their role and instead solicit bribes from motorists. The rise in road accidents this year can be attributed, in part, to the bribery of traffic officers,” he said.

He assured the public that the National Police Service (NPS) has taken steps to hold officers accountable.

“We are ensuring that administrative action is being taken against officers caught taking bribes on the road. We will relieve them of their traffic duties and reassign them to other areas as they await the outcome of the administrative processes,” Masengeli said.

He also added that the NPS is committed in reducing road fatalities to avert the loss of lives.

In his call to action, Masengeli urged key stakeholders, including the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA), matatu saccos, the general public, and the media, to collaborate in addressing the issue of road carnage.

“I would like to call upon other stakeholders to assist us in curbing road carnage happening across the country. I appeal to county governments to provide proper parking, bus stops, and pedestrian spaces to enhance road safety,” he said.

Kenya is said to be among the top five African countries where you are more likely to die in a road accident according to a new report.

The Status Report on Road Safety 2023, released in Nairobi this week by the World Health Organisation (WHO), the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA), and the Ministry of Health, highlights the alarming state of road safety in the country.

According to the report, 28 out of every 100,000 people die in road crashes in Kenya, a stark contrast to the African average of 19.4 per 100,000.

Only Comoros (29), Zimbabwe (29.8), Guinea Bissau (30), and Guinea (37) have higher road fatality rates.

At least 4,000 Kenyans are killed in road crashes annually, with another 10,000 maimed for life, according to NTSA data.