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In the bustling yet marginalised community of Nairobi’s Kibra, two road accident survivors have learned to walk again on different legs, taking different paths but sharing the same determination to move forward. Their stories reflect the shared struggles of countless Kenyans whose dreams have been stolen by preventable tragedies.
At just nine years old, Risper Anyango’s life changed forever when a train struck her as she crossed the railway on her way to school in 1997.
"I was crossing the tracks when a train from Kisumu to Nairobi hit me. I fell down. I was lucky it only hit my legs," she recalls, her voice calm but distant.
After waking up in Kenyatta National Hospital, she learned one leg had been amputated. Her childhood was interrupted by three long years in hospital, with only her mother by her side.
When she got discharged in 2000, she returned to Kibra’s unforgiving terrain, where she crawled until she received crutches from a well-wisher three months later.
In 2003, Jaipur Foot Project, a charity that helps people with disabilities, gave her her first prosthetic leg. "The day I stood on the prosthetic leg, I felt like I was born again,” says Risper.
Self-esteem issues
The prosthetic leg gave her some independence. She could now do household chores and walk around, although slowly and carefully. However, it came with limitations—it didn’t grow with her, and mobility remained a challenge
Despite this, Risper completed her education, trained as a hairdresser, and now supports her five children through home-based work. Yet, she battles self-esteem issues, hiding her limb under long clothes. "I see other amputees walking confidently in short skirts. I have never had such courage. I stick to long clothes to feel comfortable," she says. Her message to fellow amputees: "Disability isn’t the end. It’s just a different journey."
Just a few blocks away, Paul Otieno is navigating his new reality with resilience and hope.
His accident occurred in his prime at 21 when a matatu rammed into his motorbike on Lang’ata Road. "I was in a coma for two weeks. When I woke up, I couldn't feel my legs. The doctor told me they had to be amputated to save my life. I wanted to die," recalls Paul.
Unlike Risper, he had no charitable support—only his meager savings as a boda boda rider, which bought him a single second-hand prosthetic for Sh20,000. "I could not afford a new one," he says. "Even regular check-ups are too expensive. Sometimes I can't even afford a full meal."
Despite these challenges, Paul has accepted that life may be different now, but different doesn’t mean worse.
Today, he runs a small phone repair kiosk near Olympic Primary School, living independently but grappling with financial strain.
Prosthetic maintenance is costly, and meals are sometimes scarce. Still, he dreams of expanding his business, proving that "we only have one life—make the most of it."
Risper and Paul are among thousands affected by Kenya’s rising road fatalities. The National Transport and Safety Authority reports 3,581 deaths in 2024/25—a 10 per cent increase —with nearly 9,000 seriously injured. Pedestrians, motorcyclists, and passengers remain most vulnerable.
For survivors, the aftermath is a lifelong struggle.
Peter Ongubo, a prosthetics specialist at Gateway Prosthetics and Orthotics, notes that many amputees resort to crawling or sticks due to unaffordable artificial limbs.
Basic prostheses cost between Sh50,000 and 90,000, while advanced models such as carbon fiber limbs or electronic feet exceed Sh400,000. Most of these devices are imported, adding to the cost.
With no coverage under the Social Health Insurance Fund, prosthetics remain out of reach for many accident survivors.
The rise of boda bodas since 2010 has led to a significant increase in severe injuries, including limb losses, as well as fatalities. Yet Kenya lacks local production or training programmes to meet demand.
Globally, the World Health Organization estimates that more than 30 million people need prosthetics or orthotics, but in poor nations, access is a luxury.
For Risper and Paul, resilience is a daily act. As Paul says, "We’re not broken—we just walk different paths." Their stories underscore urgent needs: stricter road safety measures, affordable prosthetic access, and inclusive policies to prevent more dreams from being stolen.
