Statistics from Kenya’s roads and transport authority(NTSA) show that a total of 184 people died in road accidents in the month of January.
Compared to the same month last year, the number is slightly lower; 212 people perished in road accidents in January 2018.
In this year’s statistics, a majority of the road accident fatalities are pedestrians at 72. They are followed by boda-boda operators at 44 deaths in the month of January alone.
According to the latest data, 37 passengers, 18 drivers, 12 pillion passengers, and one pedal cyclist also died over the same period.
NTSA director for Road Safety Njeri Waithaka noted that the agency is deeply worried by accidents involving boda-boda operators.
“It is disturbing that the number of boda-boda fatalities continues to rise. It is a serious challenge,” Njeri Waithaka said.
She said NTSA has developed regulations on the motorcycle operators which if implemented well will see a decrease in road fatalities.
One of the regulation requires operators to join associations that help in streamlining their operations.
“Even when some bodabodas are registered with the association, we have seen as per the records, nothing has changed. In fact, the numbers are going up,” Njeri said.
Last November, Transport CS James Macharia and his Interior counterpart Fred Matiang’i gazetted a task force to introduce reforms in the boda-boda sector.
They gave the 12-member team on policy, legal and administrative reforms on public motorcycle transport 60 days to execute its mandate.
But in December, Matiang’i extended the deadline for bodaboda operators to comply with safety guidelines until May this year.
The new regulations will make it an offense to carry more than one pillion passenger. They also require headlights to be on at all times.
