By Samwel Doe Ouma
A road safety initiative aimed at improving pedestrian infrastructure and ensuring safe and healthy journeys for school going children has been launched in Nairobi, Kenya’s capital.
The initiative, Safe and healthy journeys to school, funded by the FIA Foundation in partnership with AMEND, the Automobile Association (AA) of Kenya, and the Association for Safe International Road Travel (ASIRT), seeks to initiate safe and healthy road safety designs model which can be upscaled nationally and implemented around all school road environments across Kenya.
The USD 2,500 (about Ksh. 3.5 million) project introduces speed limits of 30 km/h, speed humps, zebra crossings, 40-meter pedestrian footpath to school, guardrails, and other safety measures.
According to the implementers the improvements will help mitigate the risks of injuries and fatalities among children walking to and from school.
The FIA Foundation and its partners hope that the Kayole One Primary School project will serve as a model for other schools nationwide, creating a safer environment for future generations.
Speaking during the event launch, Aggie Krasnolucka, program manager at FIA Foundation, stressed the importance of the initiative in addressing Africa’s high rates of traffic-related deaths especially among vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and children.
“Africa faces some of the highest traffic fatality rates, with children being among the most vulnerable road users,” Krasnolucka noted. “Many children suffer due to a lack of appropriate infrastructure and insufficient political will. This demonstration project shows how effective safety infrastructure can create safer journeys to school.”
Kayole One Primary School, where the initiative was launched, has a population of 3,856 learners and was chosen for the project because of its location amidst three busy roads, Spine Road, Tushauriane and Kayole One road, where injuries and fatalities have previously been reported. Krasnolucka called for scaling up such projects, emphasizing the need for government investment.
“International actors alone cannot fund all the necessary safety infrastructure,” she said. “The Kenya National Road Safety Plan highlights school road safety indicators, meaning the government must channel more resources to expand these initiatives.”
While, AMEND’s- a nongovernmental organization which aims at delivering safe and healthy journeys and improved environments in developing countries-Tanzania Country Manager, Simon Kololo, shared insights from similar projects implemented in over 10 cities in 10 African countries.
“We worked closely with the community to identify high-risk areas and design cost effective infrastructure improvements based on evidence,” Kololo said. “Speed bumps, bollards, and other modifications encourage safer driving behavior, reducing risks to vulnerable pedestrians such as school going children.”
Kololo emphasized the need for speed restrictions around schools saying that AMEND advocates for 30 km/h speed limits and environmental changes that promote safer behavior among both drivers and pedestrians.
The initiative is also implemented in collaboration with local stakeholders, including Kenya Urban Road Authority (KURA), Kenya Highways Authority (KENHA) the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA), and traffic police.
Engineer Isaack Gitoho, Chairman of ASIRT, emphasized that there are over 3,856 children who walk to Kayole One Primary daily without parental supervision, thus the need for infrastructure improvements for their own safety.
“These children are vulnerable because they are still learning how to navigate roads safely,” Gitoho said. “Expanding this initiative will significantly reduce risks for all school-going children.”
Timothy Kelly, Director of Mobility at AA Kenya, underscored the importance of the safe and healthy journey to school project sustainability through school education.
“Our junior membership program trains children as young as three to 17 years old on how to behave safely on roads,” Kelly explained. “This project is just the beginning; with more funding, we aim to replicate similar initiatives across the country.”
He emphasized the need for everyone to play their part in making roads safer for children, adding that, “This project showcases how infrastructure improvements can save lives and we must build on this momentum to ensure safety for all Kenyan children.”
Road safety remains a critical issue in Kenya, where an estimated 4,000 people die in traffic crashes annually, according to NTSA data. Nearly 30 percent of these accidents occur in Nairobi, with a significant number concentrated between 7 p.m. and 10 p.m., when reduced traffic encourages speeding.
The World Health Organization (WHO) ranks road traffic injuries as the leading cause of death for people aged five to 29, underscoring the importance of such initiatives.
