The National Transport and Safety Authority has unveiled emergency safety protocols
for the Easter holiday following fatalities that claimed 20 lives over Good Friday
and the subsequent morning.
Police reports indicate that Friday night witnessed 20 separate fatal accidents,
including an incident where 11 individuals from Kariandusi lost their lives when a
speeding matatu collided with a stationary trailer near Gilgil on the Nairobi-Nakuru
highway.
This crash, taking place at the beginning of the Easter holiday, occurred days
after NTSA initiated its 2026 Usalama Barabarani campaign targeting what the
authority identifies as the six primary causes of road fatalities in Kenya.
Gilgil Sub-County Police Commander Winston Mwakio verified the fatalities, stating
that the trailer had experienced mechanical issues and came to a stop on the
road before the matatu, traveling at excessive speed, could not brake in time.
The NTSA directives instruct drivers to promptly move disabled vehicles off the
road and position warning signs at adequate distances to warn approaching drivers.
The six-point guidelines issued by NTSA require drivers to adhere to speed limits
and avoid driving while impaired.
The Authority additionally cautioned travelers to plan their journeys well in advance
and ensure adequate rest before commencing trips.
NTSA further recommended that motorists have their vehicles properly maintained
before traveling and report dangerous driving behaviors to authorities via the 911
emergency line.
On Thursday, NTSA Director General Nashon Kondiwa introduced the Easter safety
campaign and emphasized that excessive speed, intoxication while driving, and driver
fatigue continue to be the predominant causes of road fatalities in Kenya.
“NTSA, working closely with the National Police Service, has augmented enforcement
efforts across the country to minimize fatal crashes during this holiday period,”
Kondiwa stated.
As part of these intensified measures, the agency has installed speed cameras and
sobriety checkpoints at strategic locations throughout the nation, with traffic
officers monitoring key routes to ensure compliance in real time.
The recent accident is not an isolated incident on this section of the Nairobi-Nakuru
highway.
In September 2025, a similar collision at the identical location resulted in the
deaths of 16 members from one extended family from Murang’a who were traveling to
an event in Nakuru. The crash also involved a 14-seater matatu and a trailer on
the same A104 highway.
That accident provoked widespread public outrage and renewed demands for focused
interventions along this corridor. Six months later, ten additional individuals
have lost their lives at the same hazardous location.
Easter has historically been one of the most perilous times on Kenyan roads. The
increase in long-distance travel, overloaded vehicles, and pressure on matatu
operators to maximize trips during peak seasons create circumstances that
frequently surpass enforcement capacity.
2026 has proven to be one of the most fatal years for road users, with the National
Police Service Traffic Department reporting 398 fatalities in traffic incidents
between January 1 and January 30, 2026. This figure has subsequently increased.