Glovo Kenya has expanded its rider safety programme to Mombasa, training about 50 couriers in defensive riding, traffic regulations and hazard awareness as concern over motorcycle-related deaths continues to grow across the country.
The training was conducted in partnership with the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA), the Mombasa County Inspectorate and the National Police Service Traffic Department. It brought riders together with road-safety authorities to discuss safer riding practices and the risks they face while working on the roads.
The initiative comes against the backdrop of a worsening road-safety situation in Kenya. NTSA reported that 2,150 people had died in road crashes during the first half of 2026, an 11 per cent increase compared with the corresponding period in 2025.
Pedestrians accounted for 836 of the deaths, while motorcyclists were among the other most affected categories of road users.
Motorcycle safety has remained a particular concern. Data cited by NTSA showed that 1,148 motorcyclists and 432 pillion passengers were killed in road crashes in 2025, highlighting the risks faced by people who depend on two-wheelers for transport and livelihoods.
The figures have prompted renewed attention from government and road-safety stakeholders, with NTSA also directing motorcycle assemblers to provide standard-compliant helmets with new motorcycles as part of efforts to reduce deaths and serious injuries.
Against this backdrop, Glovo says its Mombasa programme is intended to give riders practical skills they can apply while making deliveries.
Liz Wambua, Head of Operations at Glovo Kenya, said safety could not be treated as a one-off initiative, saying, “Safety is not a once-off conversation. Our continued engagement with riders and road safety stakeholders reflects our commitment to creating a safer environment for couriers across the country.”
She said taking the programme to Mombasa would allow the company to better understand the conditions riders encounter while working.
She added, “Taking this training to Mombasa allows us to engage directly with riders on the ground, understand the realities they face on the road and equip them with practical knowledge that can support safer riding every day.”
The training covered traffic regulations, hazard awareness, defensive riding and responsible road use. It also provided riders with an opportunity to interact directly with officials involved in road-safety enforcement.
Samuel Musumba, Head of Programs at NTSA, said partnerships with companies operating in the delivery sector could help extend road-safety education to riders. “Road safety is a shared responsibility, and initiatives such as this provide an important opportunity to take safety education directly to riders," he remarked.
Musumba urged riders to apply the lessons from the training and make safer decisions while using the roads, adding, “Through continued collaboration with industry players such as Glovo, we can strengthen awareness of traffic regulations, responsible road use and the importance of making safe decisions while on the road.”
The Mombasa programme builds on a similar Glovo rider-safety initiative held in Nairobi in February in partnership with NTSA. During the Nairobi programme, Glovo introduced its voluntary Rider Telematics feature, which gives participating riders information about riding patterns including speed, acceleration and braking. The system is designed to provide riders with insights that can encourage safer riding behaviour.
Glovo has also said riders operating through its platform in Kenya have access to personal accident insurance, forming part of its broader rider-welfare measures.
The company's latest intervention comes as motorcycle transport continues to occupy a major place in Kenya's economy while exposing riders to significant road risks. Parliamentary data has previously shown that motorcycle riders and pillion passengers account for a significant proportion of road deaths recorded in the country.
Kenya's National Road Safety Action Plan has estimated that road crashes cost the economy about Ksh450 billion annually, underscoring the wider economic impact of road deaths and injuries beyond victims and their families.
For delivery platforms such as Glovo, whose business depends heavily on motorcycle couriers navigating busy urban roads, the push for safer riding therefore carries implications for both rider welfare and the wider road-using public.
Glovo said it intends to continue working with government agencies, riders and other stakeholders to promote responsible riding and strengthen safety practices across the country.
