Order at last: Traffic lights tame Kisumu roads chaos

At the busy Kondele Junction, where chaotic traffic once forced motorists, boda boda riders and pedestrians into a daily battle for space, a new sense of order is beginning to emerge. 

For years, the junction was notorious for gridlocks and near-misses. Boda boda riders often squeezed between vehicles, pedestrians darted across the road and drivers relied on hand signals and shouting to navigate the congestion. 

But residents now say the newly installed traffic lights and surveillance cameras are already changing behaviour on the roads.

“Before these lights came, everyone was in a hurry and nobody wanted to give way,” boda boda rider Daniel Ouma, who operates near Kisumu Boys' High School, said.

“Now when the lights turn red, we all stop. It has brought discipline on the road.” 

Pedestrians say they feel safer crossing the road, especially schoolchildren and elderly residents, who previously struggled to navigate the heavy traffic. 

Mary Akinyi, a vendor near Patel Flats, said the change has been noticeable within days. 

“Cars used to move from every direction at once,” she said.

“You had to run across the road. But now people wait for the green light. It has reduced confusion.”

The changes follow the installation of a traffic lights and CCTV management system at major intersections on the Kisumu Boys–Mamboleo Road, part of a wider road upgrade project. 

Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o described the system as a key step in transforming Kisumu into a modern smart city. He spoke during the commissioning and handing over ceremony.

The governor said the installation of the traffic control lights and an integrated CCTV surveillance system would help address long-standing challenges of congestion, road safety and crime. 

“This is a major step forward in the modernisation of Kisumu’s urban systems,” Nyong’o said.

“It signals our transition towards a smarter, safer and more efficient city.” 

The governor said Kisumu’s rapid growth in recent years has increased pressure on the city’s road network as it continues to position itself as a commercial and tourism hub in the lake region. 

“For years, traffic congestion, road safety concerns and limited surveillance capacity have posed challenges to our growing city,” he said. 

But as Kisumu continues to expand, the pressure on the road network has increased significantly.

Nyong’o said the traffic lights would help streamline vehicle movement, reduce congestion and minimise accidents at key junctions.

He said the CCTV system would also strengthen law enforcement and deter criminal activity along the roads.

“Those who have been committing crime on our roads and getting away with it must now know that their days are numbered,” the governor said.

The county government will be responsible for managing and maintaining the system through the city department. 

Nyong’o directed city management teams to ensure the system operates around the clock. 

“This system must work 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” he said.

“This investment has to deliver value to the citizens and support sustainable urban growth.” 

The project was implemented in partnership with the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) under the Kisumu Boys–Mamboleo Dual Carriageway Project. 

During the ceremony, KeNHA director general Luka Kimeli said the traffic signals had begun improving traffic flow at key intersections. 

The signals were installed at Kisumu Boys' Junction, Patel Flats Junction and Kondele Junction, which are among the busiest sections of the highway.

“This milestone forms part of the broader Kisumu Boys'–Mamboleo dual carriageway project, which has significantly upgraded a critical urban corridor within Kisumu,” Kimeli said. 

He said the project had delivered a modern dual carriageway with improved road design, drainage systems and intelligent traffic signals at major intersections. 

“Since commissioning, these signals have begun delivering measurable benefits, including smoother traffic flow, reduced congestion, shorter travel times for motorists and improved safety for pedestrians and schoolchildren,” he said. 

Kimeli said the project aligns with KeNHA’s mission to provide safe, reliable and efficient national highway infrastructure that supports economic growth and connectivity.

“We are proud that this investment contributes to positioning Kisumu as a more liveable, accessible and business-friendly city,” he said. 

KeNHA has officially handed over the traffic signal installations to the Kisumu government for management and integration into the city’s broader traffic management system. 

Nyong’o urged residents, motorists, boda boda riders and pedestrians to respect traffic rules and protect the new infrastructure. 

“When we follow the rules, we save lives,” he said.

For many residents watching the lights change colour at the once chaotic junctions, the new system represents more than just technology.

It marks the beginning of a more organised city where order on the roads could finally replace Kondele long-standing culture of traffic chaos.