Nakuru Adopts Kenya’s First Public Transport Code: Paving the Way for Safety, Inclusion and Sustainability

Nakuru County is home to Kenya’s newest and fourth-largest city after Nairobi, Mombasa, and Kisumu. Public transport is the lifeline of any city, and Nakuru is no exception. With an annual growth rate of 3.58% and an attractive tourist hub boasting key national parks, the county needs formal, affordable, and safe mass transport systems. 

What challenges do women and vulnerable road users face in Nakuru? 

To provide safe, inclusive, and accessible transport services, integration of gender equity and inclusion within the transport agenda is imperative. The transport sector has been heavily male dominated, with women representing less than 10% of Kenya’s transport workforce. The low representation of women in the transport sector is in part due to gender-biased attitudes and barriers, as well as discriminating work environments and conditions rife with sexual harassment. These factors limit their attraction to jobs in the sector and break their retention in employment. In addition, the existing informal public transport services fail to meet the mobility needs of the most vulnerable users and workers who face a myriad of challenges. Nakuru has embarked on redesigning public transport routes and constructing non-motorized transport (NMT) corridors. However, long-term solutions and interventions must be adopted to address challenges in public transport routes and constructing non-motorized transport (NMT) corridors faced by the vulnerable groups within the sector. 

TUMI Lab: Setting up a Public Transport Code of Conduct  

As part of the Transformative Urban Mobility Initiative (TUMI) Lab, Flone Initiative Trust provides technical support to Nakuru County to develop a Public Transport Code of Conduct, a set of minimum standards to guide the service delivery and professional conduct of public transport institutions and agencies. Housed in the Department of Road, Public Works, and Transport, this project strengthens the County government’s capacity to advocate, enforce, and implement mobility solutions promoting gender equity and inclusion. The code will further improve other transport stakeholders’ capacity to build gender-friendly institutions and to identify, prevent, and respond to existing and emerging issues related to vulnerable groups. For commuters, the code promises to improve the accessibility and safety of mobility systems, especially for vulnerable users, women, persons with disabilities, and older persons. 

By being the first county in Kenya to develop a Code of Conduct, Nakuru County is setting a precedent for other cities and governments to transform how their public transport works. The adoption of the code of conduct by the Nakuru County government will mark a significant step towards creating safer, sustainable, and more inclusive public transport in the County. 

“Our Vision is to create a sustainable and safe society where women and girls live peaceful and fulfilled lives.” – Naomi Mwaura 

What is included – A Code of Conduct for safer and more equitable transport services 

With over 1000 SUMPs that have been developed in the EU according to the European Commission (EC), the SUMP can be viewed as the standard transport planning instrument in the EU, providing an ideal basis for comparison across cities, including their efforts for gender equity. Through its agency Eltis, the EC promotes the use of Gender Mainstreaming in SUMPS in the topic guide “Addressing Gender and Vulnerable Groups in SUMPs” (2020). The guide provides step-by-step guidance on Gender Mainstreaming along the twelve SUMP planning steps depicted in the graphic below. Part one of the analysis highlights areas of strength and opportunities for improvement in each of the analyzed SUMPs.

The code focuses on 6 thematic areas: 

1) Gender and disability inclusion:  

• The Gender inclusion component strives to enhance the meaningful participation of women in the workforce, addressing issues of gender-based discrimination practices that limit the retention and advancement of women professionals.  

• The disability inclusion component compels public transport operators and stakeholders to provide disability-friendly accommodations so that persons with disabilities can access public transport services independently.

2) Zero tolerance to sexual harassment and gender-based violence: 

• The zero tolerance to sexual gender-based violence component sets not only clear guidelines on measures to prevent harassment and gender-based violence but also highlights clear referral pathways to respond to incidents of harassment in public transport. 

3) Environmental sustainability and climate change: 

• The environmental sustainability and climate change component aims to enhance the transport industry’s contribution to the climate change agenda by promoting low—and zero-emission modes of transport.

4) Professionalism: 

• The professionalism component makes provisions that will enhance positive commuter-operator interactions. 

5) Customer service:  

• Highlighting measures to address conflicts, promote behavior change, and further uphold the commuter and fellow operators’ rights. 

6) Improved road safety: 

• To promote respect for road safety, the code makes provisions for public transport companies to adhere to the Traffic Act provisions.  

Developing the code of conduct through diverse stakeholder involvement 

The code development adopted a participatory model encompassing inception meetings, reviews, public participation, and validation exercises. A technical working group of key county departments convened monthly to spearhead the development process.  The working group also engaged experts in disability and gender inclusion, policy and legislature, public transport, and environmental sustainability to review the code. Civil society organizations, government agencies, and Public transport organizations were engaged during the validation exercises.