Kenyans question why dangerous motorcycle behaviour is met with appeals while motorists often face tougher enforcement.

The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) recently posted a seemingly harmless road safety message on social media:

“Footbridges are for pedestrians only. Let’s keep them safe for everyone walking.”

On the surface, it looked like an ordinary public service announcement. The message encouraged boda boda riders to stay off pedestrian footbridges and allow walkers to use them safely

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But to many Kenyans, it raised a bigger question.

The image accompanying the post showed a boda boda rider emerging from a pedestrian footbridge, a scene that has become all too common in Nairobi. Motorcycles riding on footbridges and footpaths force pedestrians to dodge them in spaces built exclusively for people on foot.

For many road users, this is more than a simple traffic offence. It is reckless behaviour that endangers pedestrians, including children, the elderly and persons living with disabilities.

Yet instead of issuing a stern warning or highlighting enforcement measures, NTSA chose a polite appeal asking riders to “keep them safe.”

That tone is what triggered the debate.

Many motorists argue that NTSA often adopts a much tougher approach when dealing with private motorists and public service vehicles. Drivers regularly encounter roadblocks, inspections and enforcement operations, while some complain that they are sometimes subjected to questionable arrests or penalties.

In contrast, many believe boda boda riders, despite being among the most visible traffic offenders, often appear to receive gentler treatment.

To critics, the message sounded less like law enforcement and more like a community awareness campaign directed at people who were openly breaking the law.

For many pedestrians, watching a motorcycle speed onto a footbridge or a pedestrian walkway is not just annoying. It is frightening. Footbridges exist precisely to separate pedestrians from traffic, yet in many places they have become shortcuts for boda bodas.

Questions About NTSA’s Role

The discussion has also revived broader questions about NTSA itself.

The authority has significant responsibilities, including:

• Registering motor vehicles and issuing logbooks, number plates and driving licences.
• Inspecting vehicles to ensure they are roadworthy.
• Testing drivers and licensing driving schools.
• Regulating Public Service Vehicles (PSVs).
• Developing road safety policies.
• Conducting road safety education and collecting crash data.

Critics, however, argue that NTSA’s enforcement role increasingly overlaps with that of the National Police Service’s Traffic Department. They question whether multiple agencies carrying out similar enforcement duties has translated into safer roads.

Others maintain that NTSA should concentrate on licensing, regulation, inspections and policy, while allowing the Traffic Police to handle day-to-day law enforcement.

Kenyans React

The post generated mixed reactions on X.

Many users supported NTSA’s reminder but questioned why the authority appeared to be appealing to offenders instead of taking decisive enforcement action.

Some commenters urged the agency to crack down on boda boda riders who routinely use footbridges and pedestrian walkways, saying the practice has become normalised in Nairobi. Others pointed to areas such as Kenyatta Avenue and other busy corridors where motorcycles frequently invade spaces reserved for pedestrians.

Another group of users argued that road safety campaigns alone are no longer enough. They called for consistent enforcement against all road users regardless of whether they drive private cars, matatus or motorcycles.

Others defended the awareness campaign, saying public education remains an important part of changing behaviour and preventing accidents.

The Bigger Picture

Road safety laws only earn public confidence when they are enforced consistently.

If motorists are expected to obey the law, then boda boda riders, matatus and pedestrians should be held to the same standard. Public education has an important role, but many Kenyans believe dangerous conduct—such as riding motorcycles on pedestrian footbridges—should attract visible enforcement, not just polite reminders.

The conversation sparked by NTSA’s post ultimately goes beyond one social media caption. It reflects a wider public concern about fairness, accountability and whether road safety laws are being applied equally to everyone who uses Kenya’s roads.