NAIROBI, Kenya – The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) will lead road crash victims’ remembrance activities in 12 regions on Sunday, November 15, as the country confronts a rising death toll on its roads.
The commemorations will coincide with the 2026 World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims, held annually to honour people killed or injured in road crashes and recognise the families and communities left behind.
In a statement on Friday, NTSA said this year’s observance would be held under the theme “Invest in Safety, Not Speed”, with the main national event scheduled for Jaramogi Sports Ground in Kisumu.
The authority’s programme will extend beyond Kisumu to Nairobi, Nakuru, Mombasa, Nyeri, Machakos, Kitale, Kakamega, Meru, Thika, Embu and Narok.
In Nairobi, participants will gather at St Teresa Catholic Church in Eastleigh, while the Nakuru event will take place at Nyayo Garden.
Mombasa residents will meet at Mama Ngina Waterfront Park, with the Nyeri commemoration scheduled for Matangini, near Dedan Kimathi University.
Other venues include Machakos Bus Park, Fly Over Kitale Town in Kitale, Sigalagala National Polytechnic in Kakamega and Subuiga Junction in Meru.
Thika will host its event at Makongeni Bus Park, Embu at Talent Academy and Narok at St Joseph’s Catholic Church.
The NTSA programme lists the gatherings as starting at 9am, bringing together members of the public and road safety stakeholders to remember victims and renew calls for safer roads.
Road deaths rise by 9.2 per cent
The commemorations come as new figures point to an increase in road fatalities in Kenya.
NTSA data shows that 3,995 people died in road crashes between January 1 and October 4, 2026, compared with 3,657 during the corresponding period in 2025.
The increase represents a 9.2 per cent rise, translating to an average of approximately 14 deaths every day during the period under review.
The latest figures add to a worrying trend reflected in national statistics. According to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), road fatalities rose from 4,513 in 2023 to 4,748 in 2024.
The KNBS Economic Survey 2026 reported a further increase, with 5,009 people killed in road crashes in 2025, representing a 5.5 per cent rise from the previous year.
The annual remembrance is intended not only to honour those who have died but also to recognise survivors, support bereaved families and draw attention to the need to prevent further tragedies.
This year’s theme places particular emphasis on prioritising safety over speed, urging road users and decision-makers to consider the human cost of dangerous driving and inadequate road safety measures.
As the country prepares for Sunday’s events, the rising fatalities underline the urgency of efforts to protect motorists, passengers, pedestrians and other vulnerable road users.
