NAIROBI, Kenya — The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) has arrested at least 250 pedestrians in Nairobi over the past 10 days as it intensifies enforcement against people crossing busy roads instead of using designated footbridges.
The authority said the operation, being conducted jointly with the National Police Service (NPS), is aimed at changing pedestrian behaviour and reducing the high number of road deaths involving people on foot.
Speaking during the ongoing crackdown on Friday, NTSA Assistant Director Brenda Sawe said the enforcement exercise began on July 20 and has already seen hundreds of offenders arraigned in court.
“Today we’ve arrested a total of 40 pedestrians who failed to use the footbridge, and this exercise is going to continue. We started it around the 20th of July; so far, up to today we’ve arrested 250 and have been presented to court,” Sawe said.
NTSA later updated the day’s figures, saying 51 pedestrians had been arrested during Friday’s operation.
Under Kenya’s traffic laws, pedestrians who wilfully obstruct the free flow of traffic by crossing roads at undesignated points instead of using available pedestrian infrastructure commit an offence punishable by fines ranging from Sh500 to Sh5,000, or prosecution in court.
The crackdown comes amid growing concern over pedestrian fatalities, which continue to account for a significant proportion of road deaths in Kenya.
According to NTSA, pedestrians make up nearly 38 per cent of all road traffic fatalities nationwide.
Despite the existence of footbridges and designated crossing points, many pedestrians continue to cross busy highways, including Thika Superhighway, Mombasa Road and Waiyaki Way, exposing themselves to speeding traffic.
However, compliance has also been hampered by challenges affecting some pedestrian facilities.
Several footbridges in Nairobi have been encroached upon by hawkers, limiting movement, while others have become hotspots for crime, discouraging pedestrians from using them.
Some structures have also been occupied by street families, while poor maintenance, waste accumulation and unpleasant odours have further reduced their usability.
In addition, some pedestrians cite the long walking distances required to reach certain footbridges as a reason for crossing roads directly. Elderly people and those carrying heavy loads also face difficulties navigating lengthy staircases on some of the structures.
Sawe said the authority’s objective is not merely to arrest offenders but to encourage lasting behavioural change that will reduce preventable road deaths.
“We are hoping that at the end of this exercise, we are going to achieve changing behaviour because this is an offence that is due to behaviour,” she said.
The authority said the enforcement exercise will continue across Nairobi until compliance with pedestrian safety regulations improves.
