Lilian Wairimu: Renowned road safety champion laid to rest in Kiambu

A Kenyan woman who transversed the nation while sensitizing residents on the importance of observing road safety regulations has been laid to rest at her home in Kiambu County.

The late Lilian Wairimu Waiganjo, a mother of two daughters was among the Road Safety Association of Kenya team.

She was part of the team that lobbied the government for the establishment of the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA).

The initiative to form NTSA was motivated by the fact that the country was registering a high number of road accidents, especially along the Kenyan highways.

A section of family members during the burial of late Lilian Wairimu Waiganjo. Photo: Peter Kimotho

While serving as a director of the Road Safety Association of Kenya, the late Lilian Wairimu later co- founded Dalcom Kenya Limited that deals with selling of speed governors.

Her desire to save Kenyans from premature deaths, motivated her to join the speed governors business for public service vehicles in the country.

Wairimu also organized several seminars for matatu drivers to sensitize them on the need to observe road safety regulations in saving human life.

For instance, When nine passengers perished at Nyakach along Homa Bay road some years back, Wairimu was among the first people who went to the scene of the accident to offer help to the survivors.

Lilian Wairimu with her husband John Waiganjo joined the Road Safety Association led by the chairman David Kirie and Bishop Edward Gitonga to advocate for the removal of bumps along roads and highways in the country.

At that time, they explained that removing bumps from the highways would help reduce road carnage.

According to an NTSA report released in October 2023, this year the percentage of road accidents dropped by 8.31 percent compared to the year 2022.

The Roads Safety Association of Kenya is also associated with working closely with the late former Transport Minister John Michuki in introducing the use of safety belts in public service vehicles.

Lilian Wairimu, a great road safety warrior was laid to rest on at her home in Gathage Village Gatundu south, within Kiambu County.

Story by Peter Kimotho Karanu