Mobile courts deployed on major highways to tame road carnage during festivities

The National Council on the Administration of Justice (NCAJ) has announced the rollout of mobile traffic courts across major highways as an intervention to curb a surge in road deaths during the festivities.

The mobile courts which will be operated physically and electronically, will bring together police, prosecutors, judiciary, National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA), Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) and lawyers in one enforcement chain to tame road carnage.

“We will be sharing the links every day where the mobile traffic courts are operating so that those who will be charged can quickly contact their lawyers and get online in those courts that are going to be handling these traffic offences,” said Chief Justice Martha Koome, chair of NCAJ.

“Those who will require legal representation will be accorded an opportunity and encouraged to reach out to their advocates within a reasonable time,” she added.

The Chief Justice noted that the move was a necessary response to the increasing rise in traffic fatalities disclosing that the courts have been in operation from last Thursday.

Stressing the importance of the mobile courts, Koome regretted that the number of deaths associated with traffic accidents have risen from 4,479 in 2024 to 4,682 in 2025 representing a five per cent increase.

She spoke after a meeting with Council members including Principal Secretary for Correctional Services Salome Wairimu Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja, Director of Public Prosecutions Renson Igonga, Law Society of Kenya president Faith Odhiambo, among others. 

“Acknowledging the anticipated rise in road usage during this festive season, which is often accompanied by increased congestion and increased incidences of accidents and road crashes, we want to join with the rest of Kenyans to condole with the families who have lost their loved ones through road traffic accidents and crashes,” said Koome.

Statistics from NTSA shows that by the end of November 2025 1,685 pedestrians accounted for the highest number of fatalities reported which was an increase from 1,650 deaths reported within the same period in 2024.

Deaths of motor cyclists increased from 1055 in 2024 to 1148 in 2025. According to NTSA, 723 passengers have died within the same period, 432 pillion passengers and 403 drivers.

During the same period, 67 pedal cyclists lost their lives as a result of road accidents.

According to the Chief Justice, the fatalities have not only taken away families’ bread winners but have also affected the economy and stretched the healthcare system.

The deployment will be accompanied by intensified roadblocks, increased vehicle and motorbike inspections, and heightened police visibility along accident-prone routes.

“Kenyans are encouraged to ensure that their vehicles and motorbikes are roadworthy before travelling. Particular attention will also be paid to motorbikes violating traffic laws and regulations,” said Koome. 

NCAJ announced that officers from EACC will be present on major highways to monitor enforcement of traffic laws and deter bribery.

“We want to urge Kenyans not to pay any bribe whenever they are arrested for violating traffic laws and regulations. Moreover, there will be monitoring of human rights violations because all this time at the centre of everything is the protection of the dignity of the human being and their human rights,” Koome added.

Beyond joint enforcement and visibility on the roads, the Council identified fatigue as a silent killer on Kenyan roads calling on transport operators to ensure that no driver should remain on the road for more than eight hours without rest.

They warned that profit-driven scheduling for public service vehicles endangers both drivers and passengers hence turning commercial gain into a public safety risk.

“You cannot aim to maximize profits then endanger the lives of the drivers and endanger the lives of the passengers. There is no profiteering there. It is a danger to the lives of the people involved,” she noted.

NCAJ called on stakeholders including those in health sector to offer support to bring down road carnage during the festive season.

“The health sector is encouraged to put in place standby ambulances for quick response,” Koome appealed, stating that the measures will impose discipline on roads where recklessness, speeding and drunk driving have become deadly norms.