NAIROBI, Kenya, Jul 30 – The Nairobi County Government and the National Police Service (NPS) have launched a joint crackdown targeting some of the capital’s most dangerous road accident blackspots in a bid to reduce fatalities and improve road safety.
The multi-agency initiative follows a surge in road traffic accidents across Nairobi, with Adams Arcade identified as the city’s highest-priority blackspot after recording seven fatalities and 21 serious road crashes.
The enforcement campaign was unveiled during the 3rd Joint Coordination Committee Meeting for the Strengthening of Safe System Approach to Road Traffic Accidents in Kenya project, held at USIU-Africa and supported by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
Speaking during the meeting, Nairobi County Executive Committee Member for Mobility and Works Charles Kerich said the county had identified several accident-prone locations requiring urgent intervention.
The high-risk areas include Adams Arcade (highest priority), Valley Road near the CITAM footbridge, Prestige Shopping Mall, Ole Odume Road, Jamhuri Junctions and the Railway Golf Club entrance.
Kerich said the locations were selected based on accident data and traffic risk assessments.
Kerich announced that authorities will immediately roll out a pilot traffic enforcement operation in the Kilimani area before extending the exercise to other identified accident blackspots across Nairobi.
“A trial traffic enforcement operation will be launched immediately in Kilimani area before expanding to targeted blackspots across the city,” he said.
The operation will involve enhanced traffic policing, stricter enforcement of road safety regulations and other interventions aimed at reducing crashes involving motorists, pedestrians and public service vehicles.
Kerich urged all road users to comply with traffic laws as the county and police intensify enforcement operations.
He emphasized that improving road safety requires collective responsibility from motorists, pedestrians, cyclists and other road users.
“We have identified the following high-risk locations: Adams Arcade (highest priority), Valley Road near the CITAM footbridge, Prestige Shopping Mall, Ole Odume Road, Jamhuri Junctions and Railway Golf Club entrance,” Kerich said.
The initiative forms part of the broader Strengthening of Safe System Approach to Road Traffic Accidents in Kenya programme, which seeks to reduce road crashes through coordinated planning, infrastructure improvements, enforcement and public awareness.
The programme is supported by JICA and brings together national and county government agencies, law enforcement, road safety experts and development partners to improve urban mobility and road safety.
The meeting was attended by Deputy Inspector General of Police Eliud Lagat, Nairobi County officials, representatives from JICA and other stakeholders involved in road safety management.
Authorities say lessons from the Kilimani pilot will inform the rollout of similar interventions in other accident hotspots across the city as Nairobi steps up efforts to curb road traffic deaths and serious injuries.
