The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) in partnership with Los Ninos Organization are rolling out a road safety initiative targeting 1000 schools along the major highways. The initiative was launched at Kimorori Primary School that lies along Makuyu in Murang’a-Nyeri highway.
The initiative dubbed “Vuka Salama” was necessitated by the increasing fatal accident involving learners as they crossed the roads when going to scool. It was launched at Kimorori Primary School that lies near the infamous Makuyu blackspot along Thika-Nyeri highway.
Speaking during the launch, Los Ninos Director, Angella Kangethe said her organization was partnering with NTSA to support their core mission and road safety Agenda of improving safe road use and behavior of all road users under the Usalama Barabarani program.
Kangethe said the program will heighten road awareness and education and improve safety not only for the learners but the wider community as well. NTSA Central Regional Manager, Bora Nguyo said this was precipitated by the high increase of the number of lives lost on the major highways saying last year 4370 lives were lost while in January this year the number was 422 lives.
Nguyo said one child of Kimorori Primary School was knocked down by speeding vehicles on the Makuyu black spot where miraa transporters neither slow down nor stop even when they are signaled by the School’s Marshalls who guide the children. Nguyo said they will go to the 47 counties doing enforcement on the roads to the reduce road carnage.
Peter Wahome who is the Head teacher of Kimorori Primary School said the school that boasts
over 1500 children was at risk and appealed to the government for the construction of a foot
bridge across the road. He said the school has trained its own Marshalls to guide the children in the morning and in the evening but lamented that most of the motorists ignore them.
The children were given road safety materials that include reflector bags, sticks and the installation of sign posts and furniture. The organization will also start the process of erecting sign posts to the roads as all the ones they had put before were stolen by scrap metal dealers. However, since the government banned selling of scrap metals, the process will go on uninterrupted.