NTSA wants road crashes declared national disaster after deadly Mtito Andei crash

NAIROBI, Kenya — Urging the government to declare road crashes a national disaster, the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) has expressed alarm following a fatal collision at Mtito Andei. The incident claimed 23 lives and left 25 others injured, reigniting calls for immediate action to address the country's alarming road safety crisis.

NTSA estimates that more than 5,000 lives are lost annually due to road crashes, with approximately 20,000 accidents occurring each year. By declaring road crashes a national disaster, the NTSA argues that the government can better allocate resources, coordinate efforts among public institutions, and set measurable safety targets across various road agencies, including the National Police Service, the health sector, and county governments.

NTSA director General James Macharia emphasized that road safety is integral to national development and security, urging an end to the current "business as usual" approach to road safety. The latest tragedy unfolded on Sunday morning when a church bus collided head-on with a commercial truck, carrying 45 passengers from Western Kenya to Mombasa.

The dead included 12 women, 10 men, and one juvenile. Emergency services rushed the injured to nearby hospitals for treatment. NTSA's call for declaring road crashes a national disaster comes amid growing concern over repeated fatal accidents along the Nairobi-Mombasa Highway. Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir highlighted another deadly crash that occurred at Salama on October 3, which took 17 lives.

Chirchir stressed that repeated tragedies are unacceptable and called for a coordinated and sustained response from the Ministry of Roads and Transport, Parliament, the Judiciary, the National Police Service, and county governments. The Ministry plans to implement targeted improvements at accident black spots, intensify enforcement against reckless driving, enhance driver training and oversight, and engage Parliament and the Judiciary on implementing new road safety regulations.