NTSA wants road safety declared a national disaster after Mtito Andei accident

The call by NTSA follows a Sunday morning road accident in the Kanga area in Mtito Andei, which has so far claimed the lives of 24 people. 

20 died on the scene, and 4 others succumbed to injuries while receiving treatment at nearby hospitals. 

The accident occurred at around 7am on Sunday in the Kanga area in Mtito Andei, when a bus collided head-on with a lorry.

Now, the NTSA wants road safety declared a national disaster due to the increasing loss of life on Kenyan roads. 

In a statement on Sunday, NTSA Director General Nashon Odhiambo Kondiwa said declaring road crashes a national disaster would enable mobilisation of urgent government action, secure adequate funding and ensure coordinated enforcement of road safety measures. 

“Road crashes have reached a national emergency level, with about 20,000 crashes claiming over 5,000 lives annually, destroying families, overwhelming our health system and eroding economic productivity,” said Kondiwa. 

The NTSA director further argued that declaring road safety a national disaster would enable whole-of-government coordination under clear accountability, and enforce measurable targets across road agencies, the National Police Service (NPS), the health sector and county governments. 

“Our goal is simple: save lives, reduce fatalities and serious injuries, and protect Kenya's human capital. Road safety is not just a transport issue; it is a national development and security priority,” Kondiwa added. 

The Sunday morning road crash has raised concerns over the safety of the Nairobi-Mombasa highway, which earlier this month claimed the lives of 17 other people. 

Then, Catholic pilgrims from St. Mathias Mulumba Catholic Church in Mikindani, Mombasa County, died in a multi-vehicle crash on October 3, 2026, at Mlima Kiu area in Makueni County.