By the NGOs.ke Editorial Team.
The World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims falls on Sunday 15 November 2026, the third Sunday of November. For Kenyan NGOs it is a moment to honour the dead, support the injured and bereaved, and push for safer roads. The need is plain: the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) reported 2,150 road deaths in 2026 by mid-June, an 11 per cent rise on the same period in 2025.
What is the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims?
It began with the UK charity RoadPeace, which first observed it in 1993. On 26 October 2005 the United Nations endorsed it as a global day, held every third Sunday in November. It is an observance, not a public holiday, so any group can mark it: families, faith communities, schools, boda boda associations and civil-society organisations.
How bad are Kenya’s roads in 2026?
People’s Daily reported on 15 June 2026 that NTSA had recorded 2,150 deaths so far in the year. Last year’s full-year total stood at 3,005. NTSA Director General Nashon Kondiwa said around 836 of this year’s dead were pedestrians, who form the majority, followed by motorcyclists, with 188 drivers also killed.
| Indicator | Reported figure |
|---|---|
| Road deaths, 2026 to mid-June (NTSA) | 2,150 |
| Change vs same period in 2025 | Up 11% |
| Road deaths, all of 2025 | 3,005 |
| Pedestrians killed in 2026 so far | About 836 |
| Drivers killed in 2026 so far | 188 |
| Police data, January 2026 | 398 deaths (358 in January 2025) |
January police figures split into 143 pedestrians, 102 motorcyclists, 77 passengers and 38 drivers. The pattern matters for programme design: the people dying are mostly those outside a vehicle or on two wheels.
Is this only a Kenyan problem?
No. The World Health Organization’s Global status report on road safety 2023 put annual road deaths at 1.19 million, a slight fall. WHO notes that more than half of fatalities are among pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists, especially in low- and middle-income countries. Kenya’s numbers fit that profile.
What can an NGO do on 15 November?
- Hold a remembrance event. Invite bereaved families, and let them speak if they wish. Never use photos of victims without family consent.
- Run pedestrian safety work near schools and markets. Pedestrians are the largest group among the dead.
- Reach boda boda riders. Helmet use, licensing and rest breaks are practical, fundable topics.
- Support survivors. Crashes leave lasting injury and disability; see our guide to disability inclusion for Kenyan NGOs.
- Use the data. Cite NTSA figures when asking county governments for crossings, speed humps and lighting.
Why does road safety belong in livelihoods work?
One crash can wipe out a household’s main earner and its savings through hospital bills. That makes road safety a poverty issue as well as a health one. Our piece on what is working in poverty alleviation covers the wider picture. For the global framework, see WHO’s road safety report summary.
Frequently asked questions
When is the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims in 2026?
Sunday 15 November 2026.
Who started the day?
RoadPeace first observed it in 1993, and the UN endorsed it as a global day on 26 October 2005.
How many people died on Kenyan roads in 2026?
NTSA reported 2,150 deaths by mid-June 2026, up 11% on the same period of 2025. The full-year figure is not yet available.
Who dies most on Kenyan roads?
Pedestrians form the majority, followed by motorcyclists, according to NTSA.
How many people die on roads worldwide each year?
WHO’s 2023 report puts the figure at 1.19 million.
Sources: People’s Daily (15 June 2026); timeanddate.com UN observances; WHO Global status report on road safety 2023: summary.
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