NTSA asks for road crashes to be declared a national disaster after 22 die near Mtito Andei

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The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) has asked the government to declare road crashes a national disaster, hours after a church bus and a cement tipper truck collided head-on near Mtito Andei on the Nairobi-Mombasa highway on Sunday morning.

The Ministry of Roads and Transport said in a press release signed by Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir that the crash at Kanga, about 10 kilometres east of Mtito Andei, killed 22 people and left several others injured. President William Ruto, in a message of condolence posted earlier, put the death toll at 23.

What happened

According to the ministry, the crash happened at about 7:45 a.m. and involved a passenger bus belonging to Power of the Word Church International, Mombasa, and a commercial cement tipper truck. “Initial accounts suggest that improper overtaking may have contributed to the collision,” the statement said, adding that investigations were ongoing.

The injured were taken to Mtito Andei Sub-County Hospital and Kambu Level 4 Hospital. NTSA said in its own statement that its crash investigation team was working with the police to establish the full circumstances.

The Kanga crash came three weeks after another on the same stretch. “Earlier this month, on 3 October, we lost 17 Kenyans in another tragic road accident at Salama, Mtito Andei,” Mr Chirchir said.

The disaster proposal

In a statement from its Director General, NTSA said road crashes “have reached a national emergency level, with about 20,000 crashes claiming over 5,000 lives annually, destroying families, overwhelming our health system and eroding economic productivity.”

“As an Authority, we propose that road traffic crashes be declared a national disaster to mobilise urgent government action, secure adequate funding and ensure coordinated enforcement,” the statement said.

It said a declaration would allow “whole-of-government coordination under clear accountability” and enforce measurable targets across road agencies, the National Police Service, the health sector and county governments. “Road safety is not just a transport issue; it is a national development and security priority,” the authority said.

Ministry’s plan and stalled regulations

The ministry’s statement did not address the disaster proposal directly. Mr Chirchir said the ministry would pursue “far-reaching measures” in three areas: structured funding for road safety infrastructure through the black spot management programme, tougher enforcement against reckless overtaking, speeding and other violations, and stronger training and oversight of commercial and public service vehicle drivers.

He said the ministry would also engage the Judiciary, Parliament and the Senate “to address implementation challenges relating to the Commercial Vehicle Regulations 2026, Vehicle Inspection Regulations 2026 and School Transport Regulations 2026.”

“Given that the two vehicles involved in today’s collision were commercial vehicles, one operated by a church and the other by a commercial enterprise, the importance of effective regulation, compliance and enforcement cannot be overstated,” he said, while noting that the precise cause remains under investigation.

President Ruto directed “all relevant authorities to ensure thorough inspection of public service vehicles to guarantee compliance with safety standards,” and urged drivers, especially those of public service vehicles, to observe traffic rules.

What it means for operators

The pressure falls heavily on bus, matatu and truck owners, whose vehicles are covered by the regulations the ministry wants unblocked and by the inspection order from the President. The public transport sector is already dealing with higher costs; matatu owners raised fares by 10 percent after the October fuel review, and motor insurers are competing hard for PSV cover.