PROMOTING NON-MOTORIZED TRANSPORT IN NAIROBI

This 2021 report by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) examines Non-Motorized Transport (NMT) in Nairobi, finding that 48.2% of daily trips are made by walking or cycling. Despite its popularity, NMT users account for 66.3% of traffic fatalities, with pedestrians being the most vulnerable. The study identifies 10 deadliest corridors responsible for 55.5% of deaths and highlights severe infrastructure deficits, including a lack of protected footpaths and cycle lanes. It recommends adopting a 'Vision Zero' strategy, improving street lighting, and enhancing law enforcement to protect low-income users who rely on NMT due to a lack of affordable alternatives.

• Non-Motorized Transport (NMT) is the most popular means of transport in Nairobi, with approximately 48.2% of all daily trips made by walking and cycling. Specifically, there are 2.27 million walking trips and 55,000 cycling trips per day.
• NMT users are disproportionately affected by road fatalities, accounting for 66.3% of total traffic deaths in Nairobi, which equates to over 330 deaths annually. Pedestrians are the most vulnerable group, representing 64.5% of fatalities, while cyclists account for 1.8%.
• Road fatalities in Nairobi show a strong gender and age bias, with males accounting for an average of 88.3% of all traffic deaths. The most affected age group is young adults between 20 and 44 years, with 46.4% of fatalities occurring between ages 20-40.
• A small number of roads are responsible for a majority of traffic deaths; 10 specific corridors account for 55.5% of all fatalities in Nairobi. Mombasa Road is identified as one of the deadliest, appearing in the top three deadliest roads every year from 2015 to 2019.
• Traffic accidents in Nairobi peak during the weekend (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday) and at night, specifically between 7:00pm and 9:00pm. Contributing factors include drunken driving, fatigue, and poor street lighting.
• Private vehicles and Public Service Vehicles (PSVs) are the leading causes of accidents. However, there is a significant data gap, as 'unknown vehicle' is frequently recorded due to hit-and-run incidents.
• Pedestrian infrastructure is severely lacking across all major corridors, characterized by a lack of protected footpaths, inadequate pedestrian crossings, and poor lighting. Many pedestrians avoid footbridges because they increase journey length, preferring to cross at street level despite the risk.
• Cycling infrastructure is insufficient and fragmented, with many gaps and dead ends. While some infrastructure exists in up-market neighborhoods like Kilimani and Kileleshwa, high-volume cycling areas in Eastlands, such as Outering Road, lack safe facilities.
• NMT users in Nairobi are predominantly low-income earners who walk or cycle due to a lack of affordable alternatives. For pedestrians, 48.4% earn between KShs 5,000-15,000 monthly, and 55.6% of cyclists earn between KShs 5,000-10,000.
• Environmental pollutants, including dust, vehicular emissions, roadside garbage, open sewage, and industrial smoke, significantly impact NMT users, particularly in the eastern part of the city near the Industrial Area.
• The report recommends a 'Vision Zero' approach to eliminate traffic fatalities, alongside specific interventions such as enhancing speed limit enforcement, improving street lighting on the 10 deadliest corridors, and integrating NMT into school curricula.

APA

Odhiambo, E. (2021). PROMOTING NON-MOTORIZED TRANSPORT IN NAIROBI. Climate and Development Knowledge Network. https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/2022-01/CDKN%20NMT%20Report_updated%20to%20add%20citation%20Jan%202022.pdf

Chicago

Odhiambo, Edna. PROMOTING NON-MOTORIZED TRANSPORT IN NAIROBI. Climate and Development Knowledge Network, 2021. https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/2022-01/CDKN%20NMT%20Report_updated%20to%20add%20citation%20Jan%202022.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Odhiambo |first1=Edna |title=PROMOTING NON-MOTORIZED TRANSPORT IN NAIROBI |publisher=Climate and Development Knowledge Network |date=2021 |url=https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/2022-01/CDKN%20NMT%20Report_updated%20to%20add%20citation%20Jan%202022.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{odhiambo2021promoting, author = {Odhiambo, Edna}, title = {{PROMOTING NON-MOTORIZED TRANSPORT IN NAIROBI}}, institution = {Climate and Development Knowledge Network}, year = {2021}, url = {https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/2022-01/CDKN%20NMT%20Report_updated%20to%20add%20citation%20Jan%202022.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }