Launch remarks · 17 April 2024
I am delighted to join this distinguished gathering of diverse stakeholders from different sectors who have been brought together by their shared concern about the safety of all users of Kenya's road transport network.
Transport systems play an indispensable role in economies, serving as critical networks for economic vibrancy, productivity, and competitiveness. With the continuous growth of our economy, the demand for road transport also rises and indeed, over 90% of goods and services rely on road transport wholly, or significantly. The bottom-up economic transformation agenda identifies infrastructure as the fundamental enabler of productivity and consequently, the development of a dense network of good quality roads throughout the country is a priority.
Safe roads and safe road use by all stakeholders are critical to maximising the efficiency and other gains from our road network. Although increased economic activity must inevitably result in higher usage of our road network and pose a higher risk of accidents, concerted action can keep the actual incidence of crashes and resultant injuries low.
We have witnessed a higher frequency of road crashes in many parts of our national road network, leading to fatalities and serious injuries, besides other forms of loss and damage. The factors driving this concerning rise in these incidents are many and often involve a combination of low road capacity, poor maintenance of both roads and vehicles, low enforcement of traffic rules, and reckless behaviour by motorists, passengers and pedestrians. Abuse of drugs and alcohol, unqualified drivers, low awareness of traffic rules and lack of consideration for others, all contribute to high-risk road behaviours which endanger perpetrators as well as innocent road users.
There has been an appreciable increase in investment in the development of our road network, both in terms of coverage and quality. Even as we continue to extend the reach of our roads, we recognise the urgent need to take effective action to radically enhance road safety and drastically reduce the frequency of road crashes, fatalities and injuries. To succeed, such action cannot be unilateral. Rather, road safety must be understood to be the outcome of consistent collaboration between various actors in the public and private sectors, civil society organisations, the media and development partners.
In the public sector, our justice, law and order agencies must coordinate to sustain robust law enforcement by ensuring that offenders are detected, apprehended, prosecuted and punished swiftly and transparently. Corruption is an enabler of impunity and a significant contributor to road carnage.
Road users, especially the private sector transport operators, as well as the motoring and commuting public, also have a duty to comply with the Traffic Act and every road safety requirement without seeking shortcuts. Evading inspections, neglecting motor vehicle safety maintenance, reckless behaviour on the road and paying bribes to avoid accountability are serious forms of contributory misconduct, which must be punished.
The media and civil society also have a role in complementing public and private sector efforts to provide training, education and awareness with regard to responsible road behaviour and promoting a safety culture based on consideration for the convenience and welfare of other people.
It is therefore proper and fitting that we all demonstrate our commitment to road safety through concerted efforts, collaborations and partnerships, as well as sustained campaigns to enhance infrastructure design, intensify awareness campaigns and civic education, strengthen law enforcement and support the entrenchment of a national culture of safety and responsible road behaviour.
The launch of the National Road Safety Action Plan is a good starting point for our coordinated, multi-sectoral endeavour to improve safety in our entire road transport system. I expect government ministries, departments and agencies to lead this effort through a multi-agency framework to steer the implementation of this plan and ensure that the public sector provides a model for road safety.
We must all recognise the importance of road safety and remain mindful of the fact that reckless behaviours endanger both perpetrators and innocent third parties. Consequently, we must henceforth implement a zero-tolerance approach to negligence on our roads, and enforce the traffic laws and regulations to their fullest extent, in order to promote safety, order and efficiency in our road transport system. The National Police Service shall ensure that there are no exemptions from compliance, regardless of whether you operate a bodaboda, heavy commercial vehicles, school transport or any other vehicle on our roads.
The government is committed to supporting the implementation of the National Road Safety Action Plan by providing resources, addressing legal and regulatory gaps, enhancing the capacity of the National Police Service to enforce the traffic law, and investing in the automation and digitisation of law enforcement and traffic management, among other interventions.
I take this opportunity to appreciate the considerable support we have received from development partners, including the World Bank, the European Union and the African Development Bank. I also urge potential partners to come aboard and take part in this noble mission to keep our people safe on our roads.
I also look forward to seeing other organizations, including institutions of higher learning, join this collaboration to strengthen the use of evidence-based strategies and conduct research into various dimensions of road safety and road user behaviour.
Road safety is a shared responsibility which requires the execution of an all-of-society strategy throughout the country on a sustainable basis. I urge all Kenyans to observe road safety and report violations as part of their civic duty under community policing. Do not travel in overloaded vehicles, and use the earliest opportunity to alight from speeding or recklessly driven vehicles. The police must collaborate with citizens and ensure that dangerously driven public service transport vehicles reimburse fares upon arrest.
We are determined to transform Kenya’s road transport system from sites of frequent carnage into an efficient network that drives productivity and competitiveness, because it is our intention to make sure that travellers reach their destinations, and Kenyans travel safely in pursuit of opportunities to all places at all times. The first National Road Safety Action Plan 2024-2028 is officially launched. Thank you God bless you.