By Morna Ikosa
In the first six months of 2026, thirty-seven (37) lives were tragically lost on Namibia’s roads, a shocking toll for a nation of three (3) million people.
These individuals were not just statistics; they were a mother returning home from a night shift and a father crossing the B1 road after a long day of work.
Between 1 January and 21 June 2026, 489 pedestrian-related crashes were recorded nationally, resulting in 203 injuries, with Windhoek leading.
This presents a 29% increase in pedestrian fatalities compared to 2025, according to the Motor Vehicle Accident (MVA) Fund.
Here is the uncomfortable truth. The distribution of pedestrian deaths in Windhoek is anything but random. The Khomas Region consistently records Namibia’s highest pedestrian fatalities, according to the MVA Fund reports.
The Roads Authority has also identified the B1 road, which runs near Katutura Hospital, Shandumbala, and Prosperita, as a hotspot for pedestrian accidents.
Consequently, the patterns of pedestrian fatalities in Windhoek closely align with the spatial planning strategy established during the apartheid era.
This reality is not a coincidence; rather, it emanates from the racially discriminatory planning of the apartheid era, also known as environmental racism.
Robert Bullard, often referred to as the father of the environmental justice movement, introduced and popularised the concept of “transportation racism” in his influential 2004 book titled “Highway Robbery: Transportation Racism and New Routes to Equity.”
In this work, Bullard argues that transportation infrastructure, particularly highways, has frequently been constructed in ways that reinforce racial inequality and restrict the economic and social mobility of black communities.
He highlights how these highways were often deliberately routed through black neighbourhoods, thereby maintaining racial and spatial segregation, while creating mobility barriers for individuals who do not drive or lack access to transportation options.
Bullard’s book provides a comprehensive overview of Katutura, which is deliberately situated away from the city centre, separated by industrial buffer zones and extensive roads designed for cars only. These roads still exist today, and residents of Katutura continue to navigate them on foot, often during the night and early morning hours, where adequate lighting and pedestrian crossings are lacking.
Moreover, the International Road Assessment Programme conducted a review across nine African countries and revealed concerning statistics: 74% of roads lack pavements, and 55% of these roads received a one-star rating for pedestrian safety, indicating the lowest level of safety.
Furthermore, only 19 out of 54 African nations have implemented a walking and cycling policy, as reported in the “UN-Habitat Walk 21 report” in 2022. This underscores the urgent need for improved infrastructure and policy initiatives to foster safer environments for pedestrians.
A 2025 study, titled “Pedestrian Safety and Sustainable Urban Planning”, by Seferoğlu and Allahverdiyev, examines 22 urban design studies and highlights a crucial finding that improving pedestrian safety is not simply an engineering challenge with a one-size-fits-all solution.
Instead, it requires a comprehensive approach that includes pavement expansion, the creation of engineered safe crossings, the establishment of pedestrian-only zones, the integration of green spaces, cyclist lanes, and tailored traffic-calming measures appropriate to different road types.
The City of Windhoek’s (CoW) Strategic Plan 2022–2027 declares its vision as “to be a Sustainable and Caring City by 2027 and its mission is to “enhance the quality of life for all our people”.
To achieve its vision, CoW launched a cycling education programme, completed a 58-kilometre non-motorised transport feasibility study, and piloted 40 solar-powered e-bikes.
These are commendable steps, but 37 people died crossing roads that have no safe crossing points, where Windhoek’s poorest residents live. Thus, sustainability without pedestrian safety is just a slogan, not a strategy.
Rwanda’s Kigali proves it can be done differently. By embedding walkability into its Kigali Master Plan 2050, the city built the car-free “Imbuga City Walk” in its city centre, introduced dedicated bike lanes and refuge islands city-wide in its most underserved areas.
Windhoek has wider streets, avenues, better topography, and a smaller population compared to Kigali. What Windhoek lacks is the implementation of its well-crafted policies and strategies.
The deadline for the 2027 sustainable city initiative is just 18 months away, and it is crucial for CoW and the Minister of Works and Transport to take immediate action rather than postponing until the next budget cycle.
Firstly, the construction of four essential pedestrian bridges at Katutura Hospital, Shandumbala, Prosperita, and NATIS should be prioritised.
These bridges are vital infrastructure that significantly impact the safety and accessibility for communities that have historically faced neglect.
Additionally, it’s important to replace the existing speed humps with properly engineered crossings along the B1 road. Implementing features such as raised tables, median refuge islands, and floodlit surfaces tailored to the specific road types is necessary for enhancing pedestrian safety and traffic flow.
Moreover, creating a car-free pedestrian plaza within the city centre, inspired by Kigali’s Imbuga City Walk, would demonstrate CoW’s commitment to designing spaces that prioritise the needs of people, fostering a more liveable urban environment.
Increasing parking fees to discourage vehicles in the city centre is not the solution.
Beyond that, CoW should undertake a Walkability Equity Audit, focusing primarily on Katutura, city centre and other highly populated areas in Windhoek. Moreover, it is essential for CoW to formally adopt an Environmental Justice Infrastructure Policy” that prioritises pedestrian funding for historically neglected areas. Additionally, the feasibility study for the 58 km non-motorised transport should be translated into tangible cycling lanes and extended hours for public transport.
Finally, it is crucial to reform Namibia’s spatial development framework to ensure that all new roads constructed in Windhoek and any other towns and cities in Namibia include essential infrastructure such as sidewalks, cycling lanes, crossings, and lighting as standard requirements, rather than features that may be eliminated to reduce costs.
*Morna Ikosa, a columnist with a Master’s degree in Sustainable Development. She is passionate about bringing sustainable solutions to corporations and her beloved country. (The views expressed in this article are her own, not her employer).
