AA Kenya rolls out road safety awards in style

It was a night of applause, emotion, and honour as AA Kenya pulled off a polished and poignant inaugural Road Safety Excellence Awards in Nairobi.

There were no roaring engines or screeching tyres this time as AA Kenya was celebrating the unsung champions of our roads.

The event, held with all the flair befitting a century-old motoring institution, recognised those who have gone beyond the call of duty to make Kenya’s roads safer--one driver, one lesson, one innovation at a time.

Principal Secretary (PS) for Sports Elijah Mwangi struck a sombre, but firm note as he took to the podium.

“These figures are not just statistics. They are lives lost, families torn apart, and livelihoods disrupted,” he said, referring to the 12 lives Kenya loses daily to road crashes.

With the weight of that reality hanging in the air, PS Mwangi reminded the audience that road safety is a shared responsibility, demanding discipline, vigilance, and respect for the law—from matatu drivers to rally stars.

Yet amid the gravitas, there were glimpses of Kenya’s rich motoring heritage. Mwangi fondly recalled AA Kenya’s role in organising the first Safari Rally in 1953, and the legends it nurtured along dusty, unforgiving tracks.

The night was not just about memory, but momentum.

He lauded the Best Young Driver Competition, praising its role in instilling road safety values among the youths, and revealed that Kenya will host the African Chapter of the contest this November--a signal that the baton is firmly in the hands of the next generation.

AA Kenya President Jinaro Kibet placed the awards firmly in a global context, aligning them with the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety (2021–2030) and Kenya’s Vision 2030.

“These awards are a strategic contribution to safer roads, not just in Kenya but globally,” he noted.

AA Kenya’s Group Managing Director Francis Theuri brought the evening home with a clear mission, to celebrate, to inspire, and to spark change.

“The awards serve a triple purpose to recognise excellence, inspire replication, and to catalyse change,” Mr Theuri said as the audience nodded in agreement.

From grassroots to corporate, the night’s winners reflected a broad spectrum of dedication.

Mountain View Academy, Catholic University of Eastern Africa, and Kangaroo SACCO led the charge in training and enforcement. 

City E-Mobility, GA Insurance, Bamburi Cement, and the Kenya Red Cross showed how innovation and partnership can make an impact.

Individual honours went to Engineer Mary Abungu and youthful campaigner Kevin Mubadi, who have each championed road safety in their own lanes.

It was a night of helmets, hope, and hard truths.

And as the curtain fell, PS Mwangi issued a final challenge for SACCOs, transport operators, corporates, insurers, and even community groups to adopt best safety practices--not as a tagline, but as a standard.