Twenty two pedestrians have been arraigned in court after they were arrested for allegedly obstructing the free flow of traffic at the busy Allsops footbridge along Thika Road in Nairobi.
The arrests are part of a crackdown by the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA), the National Police Service and Nairobi City County targeting pedestrians who ignore designated crossing points and instead dash across highways.
But beyond the arrests, NTSA says the country is facing a worrying road safety challenge.
According to the authority, pedestrians accounted for 38 per cent of all road traffic crashes recorded by June 30, 2026, making them one of the most vulnerable groups on Kenyan roads.
“This is alarming and ending pedestrian fatalities requires concerted efforts from everyone,” NTSA said in a statement. The agency urged pedestrians to use footbridges and designated crossing points at all times.
The authority said it will continue conducting road safety awareness campaigns even as enforcement operations intensify at major traffic hotspots.
Allsops has for years been one of Nairobi’s busiest pedestrian crossing points, with many people often risking their lives by crossing the highway beneath the footbridge instead of using it.
Road safety agencies have repeatedly warned that such behaviour contributes to deaths and serious injuries on Kenyan roads.
Previous advisories from road authorities have also cautioned that pedestrians who fail to use available footbridges and marked crossings risk prosecution.
The latest arrests send a strong signal that authorities are shifting from awareness campaigns to stricter enforcement as they seek to curb the growing number of pedestrian casualties.
NTSA has now called on all road users to play their part in reducing crashes, saying compliance with basic safety rules could save hundreds of lives every year.