Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir has announced that the government is in the final stages of rolling out a new automated system that will issue instant fines to traffic offenders. Speaking during the official opening of the National Road Safety Conference organized by NTSA in Mombasa, Chirchir said the initiative is anchored on the Road Traffic Offences Act of 2016.
The system will rely on cameras installed at major road junctions to capture violations, with the footage relayed to an Intelligent Transport Management System (ITMS) housed in a central control room. Offenders will then be identified and fined without the need for lengthy court processes. “We do not want to overload our courts with petty offences. We understand that when there is instant discipline, people tend not to misbehave on the road,” CS Chirchir said.
He added that the proposal will bring together the police, judiciary, and NTSA as enforcers, with mechanisms being developed to determine how fines collected will be shared. The Cabinet is expected to issue a memo soon to pave the way for its implementation. However, the ministry is still working out how to finance and maintain the system to ensure long-term sustainability.
During the conference, officials from the Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA) and the Ministry of Transport highlighted funding as a key challenge. They noted that instant fines would provide a new revenue stream while also reducing allegations of bribery, since offenders will pay directly through tickets or digital platforms such as paybill numbers.
The NTSA also announced new measures to address drunk driving, citing it as a leading cause of accidents. In its strategy document, the agency revealed that the Traffic (Drink Driving) Regulations, 2025 have been developed to strengthen enforcement against motorists under the influence of alcohol.
Meanwhile, the government unveiled several road infrastructure projects aimed at reducing fatalities, including upgrades on the Nyali–Mtwapa–Kilifi road, the Rironi–Mau Summit highway, the Kwa Jomvu–Mariakani dual carriageway, and the Kitale–Morpus road linking Kenya to South Sudan. Safety interventions are also ongoing at notorious blackspots such as Ngata Bridge in Nakuru, Bonje in Kilifi, and the Kisumu–Kakamega highway, alongside the construction of 13 pedestrian footbridges on Nairobi’s Outer Ring Road BRT corridor.
