Road Safety Campaign

Background

Kisumu is experiencing rapid population increase thanks to the livelihood opportunities that attract resident from the neighbouring counties of Siaya and Homabay. The ballooning population translates to an increased demand for transport and sufficient road networks for free and convenient movement of people and goods. This has given birth to chaotic unsafe roads that pose risks to city road users on daily basis.

Further to this, the city roads are non-inclusive as pedestrians and other nonmotorized road users often grapple with manoeuvring the busy complex urban roads of Kisumu. Women and school going children are adversely affected by this confusion as these vulnerable groups lack proper road safety equipment’s owing to lack of road safety measures and the ineptness of city road marshals to take care of all road users.

Project objective

Owing to the backdrop, Evamor Africa conducted a three-month campaign (that is still ongoing post project period) that strives to address the road crisis and equally lure city dwellers into realising the need for safety measures on the roads. The campaign simultaneously embraces sustainable transport systems for the cleanliness and serenity of the city life.

The campaign addressed the aspects of inclusion of all road users, safety of women and school going children, Sobriety of the infamous motorcycle riders (Boda boda), demarcating and establishing pedestrians and cycling lanes , engaging road authorities on developing road safety mechanisms, influencing city authorities in developing a road safety regulation for the county and establishing a road safety working group to monitor road usage and adherence to regulations

Target groups

The campaign target 10 local primary schools, located near major roads, Kenya Urban Road Authority, Kenya National Highway Authority, Kisumu city administration, Nation Transport Safety Authority, The motorcycle sector, PSV operators and Kisumu cyclists

Numbers reached

10 primary schools engaged, 3 road authorities engaged, 1 survey report developed, more than 600 people reached on mass campaigns, 200 city cyclists engaged, 100 motorcycle operators engaged, 2 city authority offices engaged, 1 county department on roads engaged, 1 road safety working group established,

Project deliverables and Activities

The project was able to conduct the following activities and deliver the following: Provision of road signage tools for installing in target schools, established a Kisumu County road safety working group, Mass sensitization on road safety, Car free days for cyclists and school kids, Critical mass cycling for all bicycle owners.

Training of road safety champions and school safety clubs, School children sensitization on road safety and road signages, establishing school safety clubs and cycling competitions