At least 398 people have lost their lives in road accidents across Kenya between January 1 and January 30, 2026, highlighting a growing road safety crisis in the country.
According to the National Police Service Traffic Department liaison officer in Nairobi County, Boniface Otieno, the deaths represent an 11 percent increase compared to the same period last year.
He said the country recorded 854 road accidents in January alone, slightly higher than the 850 accidents reported by the end of last year.
The accidents left 2,032 people injured by January 30, an 8 percent rise from the 1,132 victims recorded in 2025.
Pedestrians were the most affected, with 143 deaths reported, followed by motorcyclists, who accounted for 102 fatalities. Passengers lost 77 lives, while 38 drivers died in crashes involving private vehicles, buses, and matatus. Pillion passengers recorded 31 deaths, and seven cyclists were also killed during the period.
Speaking during an interview on NTV’s Fixing The Nation, Otieno urged road users to take personal responsibility for safety. He emphasized the importance of slowing down, yielding when necessary, and obeying traffic rules to save lives.
Police have raised concerns about reckless driving, speeding, overloading, and failure to follow safety regulations, especially in public transport vehicles, as key contributors to the high number of deaths.
Authorities are now calling on all road users—drivers, riders, and pedestrians alike—to be more cautious and disciplined to reduce the rising number of road accidents and fatalities.
