The Mombasa City County Government, in partnership with the Bloomberg Philanthropies Initiative for Global Road Safety (BIGRS), today launched the “Slow Down or Face the Consequences” mass media campaign to deter speeding alongside the release of the Mombasa Road Safety Report 2024.
The Mombasa Road Safety Report 2024 presents updated data and trends on road traffic deaths and injuries, revealing that speeding remains one of the leading contributors to crashes in both Mombasa and Kenya at large. Observational data collected between December 2022 and August 2024 show that speeding remains a major and persistent challenge in Mombasa, with 20–27% of vehicles exceeding posted speed limits and average travel speeds rising from 39 km/h to 44 km/h during the period.
SUVs and pickups/light trucks recorded the highest levels of speeding, followed closely by sedans, motorcycles, and minibuses posing heightened risks to vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and passengers.
Speeding was also found to be more common on weekends than weekdays, reflecting increased risky driving behavior.
These trends underscore the urgent need for intensified enforcement and public awareness efforts, making the speeding campaign both timely and critical for reducing preventable crashes in Mombasa.
Running for one month, the campaign tagged “Slow Down or Face the Consequences”— highlights how speeding endangers the most vulnerable road users and highlights the legal consequences of violating speed limits.
The Coast Regional Traffic Officer and the Mombasa Inspectorate have issued strong warnings to the public and motorists to adhere to the recommended speed limits or face the full consequences of the law. The campaign is timed with enforcement operations, which will be carried out on high-risk corridors to reinforce safe speeds throughout the festive season.
The Coast region police will be able to use the newly acquired speed radar devices to enforce speed limits more effectively. This will be complemented by recent training and additional equipment, including reflector jackets and beacons.
The campaign will also be displayed on billboards, radio public service announcements, social media, and community sensitization efforts.
Coast Regional Traffic Officer George Kashimiri noted that this is a critical moment for the region to commit to saving lives by strengthening enforcement operations during this high-risk period.
“Through enhanced enforcement, we will ensure that motorists adhere to safe speeds and that all road users are protected. We urge everyone to be cautious on the roads and to follow the recommended speed limits throughout this festive season and beyond.”
Mombasa County Transport Minister, Daniel Manyala, said that this campaign is a crucial step toward addressing the rise in speed-related crashes and strengthening the county’s overall road safety efforts.
"This report underscores the critical need for strengthened enforcement, public awareness campaigns, and targeted engineering interventions to address the most dangerous corridors and intersections. Together, we can reverse these alarming trends."
Dr. Raphael Awuah, Regional Technical Advisor for Africa at Vital Strategies, said, "The increase in road traffic deaths and injuries in Mombasa underscores the urgent need for a holistic approach to road safety. Findings from this report provide an opportunity to assess trends, identify high-risk groups, and develop targeted interventions to save lives. We applaud the Mombasa City County Government’s dedication to timely, accurate data collection on road traffic deaths and injuries which informed the launch of their new campaign to reduce speeding.”
Last year, during the 2024/25 festive season, the “Slow Down Speed Kills” speeding campaign run by Mombasa County Government and National Transport and Safety Authority reached nearly half of Mombasa’s adult drivers, yet the post-campaign evaluation exposed critical gaps, many motorists did not notice enforcement operations, over 20% still reported feeling safe driving above the speed limit, and more than 30% said it was acceptable to break the limit when they felt “in control.”
These findings make it clear that a stronger, more visible enforcement effort is essential this year.
This data helped shape the “Slow Down or Face the Consequences” campaign development.
The report identifies the county’s top five high-risk corridors: Mombasa–Nairobi Road, Mombasa–Malindi Road, Likoni–Ukunda Road, Port Reitz–Airport Road, and Makupa Causeway, underscoring the need for targeted and sustained interventions. The "Slow Down or Face the Consequences” campaign will run throughout the festive season, combining enforcement, public sensitization, and data-driven strategies to protect all road users.
