The Long Distance Drivers and Conductors Association (LoDDCA) has criticised the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) over its roadside enforcement operations following a fatal crash that claimed 24 lives along the Nairobi-Mombasa Highway.
In a statement issued on Sunday, October 25, 2026, the association questioned the effectiveness of NTSA’s enforcement approach, arguing that roadside operations and delays could place additional pressure on drivers and encourage unsafe driving practices.
LoDDCA pointed to the use of black-and-white enforcement vans and what it described as unnecessary delays, citing pressure on drivers to rush and return to their routes. It highlighted phrases allegedly used to encourage hurried driving, including “Enda urudi tutatengeneza” and “Harakisha nikupatie bonus.”
The association argued that road safety efforts must go beyond roadside operations and called on NTSA to change its approach, with greater emphasis on prevention, accountability and the working conditions of drivers and conductors.
The criticism follows Sunday, October 25, morning’s collision at Kanga, near Mtito Andei in Makueni County, involving a passenger bus belonging to Power of the Word Church International and a commercial truck. The crash killed 24 people, while several others sustained injuries and were taken to nearby hospitals for treatment.
Preliminary findings by NTSA indicated that the vehicles collided head-on and that improper overtaking may have contributed to the crash. Investigations were launched to establish the circumstances surrounding the collision.
President William Ruto subsequently directed the inspection of public service vehicles to ensure compliance with safety standards, as the government pledged further measures to address road accidents.
In a separate statement dated October 25, LoDDCA expressed condolences to the bereaved families and called on the government to declare road safety a national disaster, a position it said it had consistently advocated.
The association outlined four priority areas for action: enforcing vehicle roadworthiness standards, protecting drivers and crew from fatigue and excessive working hours, involving frontline transport stakeholders in safety decisions, and establishing a coordinated national response with measurable targets and transparent reporting.
It urged NTSA to hold public service vehicle operators and transport companies accountable when they allow unroadworthy vehicles onto the roads. It also called on transport and labour authorities to enforce existing laws and ensure drivers have adequate rest instead of being pressured to operate unsafely.
LoDDCA further demanded a thorough investigation into the Kanga crash, with the findings and appropriate corrective measures made public.
The association said the government should prioritise prevention, stronger enforcement and accountability rather than responding to road safety concerns only after fatalities occur.
Its latest intervention adds to growing calls for urgent action following a series of fatal collisions on the Nairobi-Mombasa Highway, including an October 3 crash at Salama in Makueni County that killed 17 people.
LoDDCA maintained that protecting human life must take precedence over commercial deadlines, profits and convenience.
