TOKYO, Japan — A week-long road safety training programme organised by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has officially concluded in Tokyo, marking a new phase of cooperation between Kenya and Japan on traffic safety reforms.
The programme, which focused on strengthening the Safe-System Approach to Road Traffic Accidents, ended on January 27, 2026, with senior Kenyan security and transport officials in attendance.
The closing ceremony was presided over by Yasuhiro Suhara, JICA’s Head of Traffic Safety. It was attended by Inspector-General of Police Douglas Kanja, Deputy Inspector-General of the Kenya Police Service Eliud Lagat, and technical experts from JICA Headquarters.
The training targeted senior police officers and key government stakeholders involved in shaping road safety policy and enforcement strategies in Kenya.
According to JICA, the programme aimed to equip participants with tools to design and implement evidence-based road safety interventions that prioritise human life, reduce traffic accidents, and promote shared responsibility across institutions.
The initiative is expected to strengthen Kenya’s capacity to prevent road crashes through improved planning, enforcement, infrastructure coordination, and policy alignment.
The project will be implemented under the Technical Cooperation Agreement between the Government of Japan and the Republic of Kenya.
Kenya’s delegation comprised officials from the National Police Service (NPS), the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA), and representatives from the Ministries of Roads and Transport, Interior and National Administration, and the National Treasury.
On the sidelines of the programme, Inspector-General Kanja and Deputy Inspector-General Lagat paid a courtesy call on Kenya’s Ambassador to Japan, Moi Lemoshira.
Discussions during the meeting focused on expanding bilateral cooperation between Kenya and Japan, particularly in areas linked to national security, traffic safety, and institutional capacity building.
The training comes amid growing concern over road traffic fatalities in Kenya, with authorities increasingly turning to international best practices to improve enforcement, policy coordination, and public safety outcomes.
