Nairobi, Kenya, Tensions flared outside the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) offices in Nairobi as demonstrators, led by road safety advocacy groups, demanded the immediate departure of Director General George Njao.
The protestors, chanting and holding placards, accused Njao of clinging to power despite the NTSA Board’s directive requiring him to proceed on terminal leave ahead of his retirement. The lobbyists claimed the Director General had ignored an official decision that had already been communicated and even published in the government’s My Gov issue earlier this week.
John Mutisya, the Secretary General of the Speed Governors and Road Safety Association, was among the voices leading the charge. Speaking passionately to reporters, he urged the NTSA leadership to act swiftly before the festive season, a period notorious for high road accidents.
“We want the management to settle this issue urgently,” Mutisya declared. “As schools close and the holidays approach, we cannot afford leadership confusion at the authority. Mr. Njao should respect his employer’s decision and vacate the office.”
Mutisya further accused the Director General of intimidating board members and using high-ranking government names, including the President and senior transport officials—to exert pressure and extend his stay illegally.
Echoing the same concerns, Road Safety Association of Kenya chairperson David Kiarie stated that the DG had been officially placed on terminal leave starting November 1, yet had refused to comply.
“The order was clear, he was to hand over and leave office last weekend,” Kiarie emphasized. “But we’re here today because that directive was ignored.”
This latest demonstration follows an earlier one held on October 23, when the same groups gave the NTSA board a seven-day ultimatum to replace Njao with an acting director. The activists allege that his tenure, which officially ended in 2022, was extended irregularly for another three years, triggering a series of lawsuits.
Although courts have previously ruled in Njao’s favour, allowing him to continue serving, critics argue that his leadership has been marred by corruption and inefficiency. Protesters accused him of presiding over a system plagued by graft, where driving licenses and inspection certificates are allegedly issued to unqualified drivers and roadworthy vehicles, worsening Kenya’s road safety crisis.
As the chants of “Njao must go!” filled the air outside NTSA headquarters, one thing was clear: public patience is wearing thin. With the December festive season approaching and road accidents historically on the rise, Kenyans are demanding accountability and fresh leadership to restore confidence in the agency tasked with keeping the nation’s roads safe.
