The County Government of Mombasa has reaffirmed its commitment to improving road safety through increased investment, public awareness, and enhanced stakeholder collaboration during the launch of the Fourth Mombasa Road Safety Campaign.

The campaign, dubbed "You control the speed. Speed controls the outcome," highlights the dangers of speeding and seeks to encourage safer road user behavior.

It was developed with support from global health organization Vital Strategies under the Bloomberg Philanthropies Initiative for Global Road Safety (BIGRS).

Speaking during the media launch, Mombasa County Chief Officer for Transport and Infrastructure, Sharif, said the county has made significant progress since embarking on the road safety journey in 2021.

"We have been in this journey since 2021 and there have been gradual milestones that have been achieved. We started as a small working group but have been able to scale it up strategically. Our partnership with Bloomberg has been very fruitful," he said.

Sharif reiterated the county government's commitment to strengthening road safety interventions across Mombasa.

"I want to commit to our partners that the County Government of Mombasa is fully committed to road safety, and we are going to ensure that moving forward we allocate more budget and human resources towards achieving this mission," he stated.

He called on all stakeholders to continue sensitizing members of the public on responsible road use to reduce accidents and fatalities.

"It is important for all of us as stakeholders to insist on the importance of road safety to avoid crashes and even deaths. Every road user has a responsibility to ensure our roads are safer," he added.

The Chief Officer also raised concerns over non-compliance with traffic regulations among boda boda riders, particularly regarding traffic lights and road signs.

"When we launched our traffic lights, it took time for people to understand and adapt. However, many boda boda riders have refused to comply. We have agreed with the leadership that the county government will sponsor refresher courses for boda boda operators by taking them back to driving schools for training," he said.

Sharif further revealed that the county government would engage the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) to assist riders who lack valid driving licences.

"For those without licences, we will engage NTSA and see how we can help them acquire the necessary documentation and training," he noted.

Speaking at the event, Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) Coast Regional Director Engineer Michael Orege lauded the initiative and called for its expansion across the country.

"We hope that this campaign can be escalated to other counties so that we have a nationwide campaign. This campaign is timely and very crucial in addressing the challenge of road crashes associated with speeding," said Orege.

Road safety stakeholders attending the launch emphasized the need for sustained public education, stricter enforcement of traffic regulations, and stronger partnerships to reduce road traffic injuries and deaths in Mombasa and across the country.

The campaign comes amid growing concerns over speeding-related crashes, which continue to claim lives and cause serious injuries on Kenyan roads.

Through targeted awareness messages, the initiative seeks to remind motorists that the speed they choose directly influences the outcome of every journey.