Africa-Press – Kenya. It was a colourful affair marked by song, dance and celebration as Deputy President Kithure Kindiki on Christmas Eve hosted thousands of residents at his Irunduni home in Tharaka Nithi County for the festive celebrations.
Locals thronged the Deputy President’s rural home in large numbers to celebrate the season with “their son,” turning the homestead into a hive of activity as traditional songs and dances filled the air.
The gathering was also characterised by generosity, with Kindiki distributing Christmas gift hampers to families to take home and celebrate with their loved ones.
Addressing the crowd, the Deputy President expressed gratitude for the year that was coming to an end, noting that despite numerous challenges, both families and the country had remained resilient.
“I thank God our families are well, our children are okay, and the country is also good,” Kindiki said.
He acknowledged that Kenya, like many other nations, had faced immense economic and social challenges during the year, but said the country had weathered the storm.
“We know that so many countries are not where they would have wanted to be as the year ends,” he stated.
Kindiki admitted that some development projects, particularly in infrastructure, had not progressed as planned, but assured Kenyans that implementation would be stepped up in the coming year.
“There were many infrastructure projects that did not start or proceed as planned, but they will be implemented in 2026,” he said.
“The economy is picking up, and we are bringing in contractors to build roads across the country,” the Deputy President added.
Turning to road safety, Kindiki urged motorists to exercise caution during the festive season, noting that travel volumes had increased significantly as Kenyans journey to various destinations, including rural homes, to celebrate Christmas and the New Year.
“I have seen that NTSA has released the number of people who have died recently. On Tuesday alone, we lost 25 people,” he said.
He observed that most road accidents were avoidable if drivers exercised care and responsibility.
“Be courteous to other drivers and road users. Just understand that human life is precious and irreplaceable. When a life is gone, that is it, you cannot replace it,” Kindiki said.
The Deputy President made a personal appeal to drivers to observe traffic rules and safeguard lives.
“I am requesting drivers to drive safely. I am praying we do not see the loss of lives that we have been seeing in the last few days,” he said.
“Driver, know that you are ferrying human lives,” Kindiki added.
His remarks echoed a broader road safety appeal by the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA), which has warned of heightened risks during the festive season.
In a statement, NTSA Board Chair Khatib Mwashetani noted that increased travel and activity on major highways often lead to a spike in fatal accidents.
“The festive season should be defined by joyful memories, not by the painful loss of lives or injuries on our roads,” Mwashetani said.
He expressed concern that dangerous driving behaviours continue to dominate crash statistics, citing speeding, drink driving, reckless overtaking, failure to wear seatbelts and the non-use of helmets by motorcyclists as the leading causes of fatal crashes.
