Uasin Gishu: Uasin Gishu County government is among the eight devolved units in the western part of Kenya that the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) is seeking collaboration with, through established County Transport and Safety Committees, to address road safety challenges in the country. Speaking on Wednesday during a three-day induction training held at the Eldoret Polytechnic, the Director of Road Safety from NTSA, Dr. Andrew Kiplagat, said the objectives of the countrywide initiative include integrating road safety measures into all the 47 county governments' development plans, strengthening road safety legislation at the county level, and enhancing accessibility for residents.
According to Kenya News Agency, the theme of the induction training was 'Strengthening County Road Safety: Collaboration Strategies for Safe Roads and Mobility.' This initiative aligns with the county administration's development agenda on infrastructure development, which aims to upgrade and maintain all road networks within the county to all-weather standards. Additionally, the initiative seeks to devolve road maintenance to ward and Sub County levels, ensuring safe roads for users and improved mobility that uplifts local communities economically.
Dr. Kiplagat highlighted the urgency of the collaboration by sharing alarming statistics: 'Last year we unfortunately lost 4,748 people through road crashes. These accidents are preventable, and those people didn't deserve to die in that manner. That makes this collaboration very important to avert the situation. About 73% of that number is made up of pedestrians, motorcyclists, and motorcycle passengers.' He emphasized that local strategies are crucial in addressing road crash problems, especially by the devolved units, which NTSA considers key players in reducing loss of lives on the roads.
Uasin Gishu County Executive for Roads, Engineer Joseph Lagat, remarked on the necessity of training delegations from West Pokot, Vihiga, Nandi, Elgeyo Marakwet, Bungoma, Kakamega, Busia, and Uasin Gishu Counties in establishing key road structures, such as footpaths separate from carriageways and road designs as better interventions. He added that collaboration with other stakeholders is essential to reduce fatalities. His counterparts from neighboring counties, led by Emmy Kosgey (CECM Roads Elgeyo Marakwet), echoed his sentiments, underscoring the importance of sensitization and capacity building to avert road crashes, with the Boda boda sector posing a significant challenge for many counties.