The Motorists Association of Kenya (MAK) has pointed fingers at state agencies for a sharp increase in road fatalities across the country, accusing them of negligence and corruption.

This follows a report by Roads and Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir, who revealed that 2,933 people have died in crashes between January and August 10, 2025, with 80 deaths occurring in just the last four days.

Chirchir announced the formation of a multi-agency team to audit dangerous road sections, reconstruct accident scenes, and identify safety gaps within seven days.

Despite this, MAK claims that the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA), the police, the State Department for Roads, and Kenya Railways have failed in their responsibility to protect the public.

According to MAK, NTSA issues driver licenses without proper skill checks and conducts fake vehicle inspections, allowing unsafe cars on the road.

The association referenced a BBC investigation which showed that many commercial drivers get licenses without meeting required standards and that many vehicles never undergo genuine inspections.

“It is immoral and shameful that whenever road accidents spike and claim the lives of many innocent Kenyans, triggering public outrage, the very agencies mandated, funded, and entrusted to safeguard road safety suddenly awaken from slumber only to engage in public relations theatrics,” the association said.

MAK further accused these agencies of taking bribes, overlooking clear traffic violations, issuing empty statements, and staging media appearances to shift blame instead of acting. It said such actions are directly responsible for many avoidable deaths on the roads.

The association highlighted that traffic police collect about Sh3 billion in bribes monthly, a figure reported by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC). This corruption allows reckless drivers and unroadworthy vehicles to operate freely while enforcement officers profit.

The State Department for Roads was blamed for ignoring poor road designs linked to accidents, such as the Kisumu Coptic Church Roundabout, a frequent crash site according to residents and Kisumu Governor Anyang' Nyong’o.

Kenya Railways was criticized for failing to install safety barriers at dangerous railway crossings in areas like Mutindwa, Ruiru, Dandora, and Moredat. The association noted that despite earning billions annually, the corporation has neglected simple safety measures.

“Fatal accidents have occurred at Mutindwa, Ruiru, Dandora, Moredat, and other sites, despite the corporation being a profit-making entity earning billions of shillings annually. The cost of installing and manning barriers is a negligible fraction of its earnings,” stated MAK.

The Motorists Association also condemned the culture of “protection” money, where officials accept bribes from public transport operators who repeatedly break the law.

It accused these agencies of wasting donor funds on publicity campaigns instead of focusing on effective safety interventions.

MAK called on Cabinet Secretary Chirchir and the police to be held accountable for the rising death toll, insisting that the government has a social duty to provide safe and lawful transport systems to taxpayers.