MPs Urged to Use NG-CDF Funds for Road Safety as Boda Boda Deaths Persist

Members of Parliament have been urged to channel part of their National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF) allocations towards road safety initiatives, including the provision of helmets to boda boda riders and passengers.

The proposal was made by the Parliamentary Committee on Transport amid concerns over the continued number of road crashes involving motorcycle riders despite existing government interventions.

Committee Chairperson George Kariuki said MPs could partner with the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) to provide safety equipment to boda boda riders and help reduce motorcycle-related deaths.

“It is time for Members of Parliament to consider using part of their NG-CDF funds to partner with NTSA and provide helmets for riders and pillion passengers,” Kariuki said.

The proposal followed the committee’s assessment of NTSA’s digitization of services and discussions with the Authority’s management on road safety and service delivery.

Kariuki said the continued loss of lives on Kenyan roads required additional interventions at the constituency level, particularly in areas where boda boda transport is widely used.

The committee also called on NTSA to intensify road safety education and awareness campaigns while taking its services closer to the public.

Nakuru Town West MP Samuel Arama criticised the Authority’s limited geographical reach, saying some Kenyans are forced to travel long distances to access basic NTSA services.

“Some Kenyans travel hundreds of kilometres in search of services, yet they are paying taxes like any other Kenyan,” Arama said.

He called for greater decentralisation of NTSA services to reduce the burden on citizens seeking services.

NTSA Director General Nashon Kondiwa acknowledged that Kenya is facing a road safety crisis, citing inadequate funding as one of the challenges affecting the Authority.

Kondiwa said NTSA was working to expand its presence across the country but currently operates in only 17 of Kenya’s 47 counties.

“Currently, we are in 17 out of 47 counties, which is way below our target,” Kondiwa said.

He said expanding NTSA services would allow more Kenyans to access the Authority without having to travel long distances.

The Parliamentary Committee later toured NTSA’s modernised vehicle inspection centre in Likoni, Industrial Area, where members assessed service delivery and progress at the facility.

The proposed use of NG-CDF resources for helmets and road safety campaigns would introduce an additional constituency-level intervention targeting motorcycle-related crashes.

The proposal also places greater emphasis on prevention at community level, particularly in areas where boda boda transport forms a major part of local mobility.