Not Crossing A Footbridge In Kenya? You Risk Up To Ksh5,000 Fine

The Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) on Thursday, March 28 revealed that Kenyans risk hefty fines for failing to cross footbridges erected within the country.

In an explanatory video posted on its social media handles, the highways authority emphasised the importance of crossing footbridges where they have been erected, terming it an offence for failing to do so.

KeNHA disclosed that Kenyans still insist on crossing roads without using footbridges to save time, adding that doing so risks a fine of up to Ksh5,000.

Notably, the minimum fine a pedestrian must pay for such an offence is Ksh500.

Police officers arrest pedestrians during a nationwide crackdown on March 26, 2024. /NTSA

"Crossing a road under a footbridge could earn you a fine of approximately Ksh500 - Ksh5,000.

"Despite this people still prefer to cross the road to save time but be careful not to save time and lose life," KeNHA warned.

The video was released two days after over 30 people were arrested in various parts of Nairobi during a crackdown mounted by the police and the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) which caught pedestrians by surprise.

NTSA notably vowed to intensify its operations in the coming days owing to the rising cases of road accidents involving pedestrians and motorists.

"Pedestrians must use available footbridges, walkways and other designated crossing points to ensure their safety.

"This morning, several pedestrians who failed to obey traffic rules were detained. To avoid any inconvenience, we urge pedestrians to observe traffic rules," read a statement by NTSA.

Accident statistics show that as of February 2024, 649 people had lost their lives in road accidents in the country.

The majority of the fatalities were pedestrians, followed by motorcyclists, passengers, drivers, pillion passengers and pedal cyclists. Motorcyclists recorded 152 deaths marking a slight decrease compared to 177 in 2023.

Back in October 2021, a crackdown similar to today's saw more than 300 pedestrians arrested by authorities along the Outering Road for crossing it instead of using the footbridges already in place.