03/06/2026
Beyond UN Road Safety Week: ROSAF Pushes for Safer Roads and Reduced Crashes Among Kabaza Riders in Malawi
Following the recent observance of United Nations Road Safety Week, the Road Safety Alert Foundation (ROSAF) is continuing its nationwide efforts to promote safer roads and reduce the rising number of road traffic crashes and fatalities in Malawi.
While the global campaign has officially ended, the message remains clear in the Malawian context: road safety is not an event, but a daily responsibility. With increasing reliance on motorcycle transport, commonly known as Kabaza, the need for sustained intervention has become more urgent than ever.
Kabaza riders play a crucial role in Malawi’s transport system, especially in rural and hard-to-reach areas where they serve as the main link between communities and essential services. However, many riders operate without formal training in road safety, Highway Code understanding, or proper licensing factors that continue to contribute to avoidable road crashes.
In response, ROSAF is helping support the Kabaza Safety and Licensing Program, which focuses on improving road safety awareness, promoting compliance with traffic regulations, and assisting riders in accessing riding licenses.
Through this initiative, ROSAF has reached Kabaza riders across Malawi, including:
• Ntchisi – 135 riders
• Mponela – 94 riders
• Mchinji – 50 riders
• Kamwendo – 55 riders
• Waliranji – 27 riders
• Mzuzu – 235 riders
• Chilumba/Hara – 165 riders
• Jenda – 12 riders
• Hoho – 65 riders
• Zomba – 85 riders
• Blantyre – 45 riders
• Chitipa – 176 riders
• Balaka – 39 riders
• Karonga – 70 riders
• Life-saving knowledge beneficiaries – 388 riders (Blantyre, Lilongwe and other areas)
These 388 riders were also supported with life-saving knowledge sessions, equipping them with practical awareness on how to respond during road incidents and emergencies. In addition, all beneficiaries under the program have been supported with Highway Code understanding and assistance in accessing riding licenses, strengthening both compliance and road discipline.
In total, ROSAF’s combined interventions have now reached 1,641 Kabaza riders across Malawi, reflecting a growing national effort to improve road safety standards among motorcycle operators.
As part of continued activities linked to UN Road Safety Week, ROSAF also conducted a field engagement in Mulanje District. The exercise focused on supporting Kabaza riders, reviewing motorcycle registration and licensing status, and identifying real challenges affecting compliance on the ground. The findings highlighted common issues such as lack of documentation, limited awareness of traffic rules, and economic pressures that often force riders into informal operations.
The Mulanje engagement reinforced a simple but urgent message: without proper licensing, knowledge of road rules, and responsible riding behavior, Malawi risks continued increases in road crashes and fatalities.
ROSAF believes that sustainable road safety cannot rely on campaigns alone, but must be embedded in continuous education, community engagement, and practical support for road users especially Kabaza riders who form a large part of the country’s transport system.
The organization remains committed to expanding the Kabaza Safety and Licensing Program to all districts in Malawi, working with government institutions, communities, and stakeholders to restore sanity on the roads and reduce preventable loss of life.
Even after UN Road Safety Week, the mission continues: safer roads, responsible riders, and a Malawi where every journey ends safely. Ministry of Transport and Public Works Parliament of Malawi
Directorate of Road Traffic and Safety Services Global Alliance of NGOs for Road Safety SADC Alliance of NGO's for Road Safety Malawi Police Service
