A traffic police road sign during an operation by NTSA along the Southern Bypass, Nairobi on January 2, 2026. [Kanyiri Wahito, Standard]
The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) has officially withdrawn its ‘Go Live’ notice for the controversial Instant Fines Management System, just over a fortnight after its ambitious rollout.
In a statement released on Friday, 27 March 2026, the Authority confirmed it would pause the automated enforcement of traffic penalties to allow for a comprehensive public education campaign and procedural alignment with existing laws.
The system, which initially launched early this month was designed to eliminate human intervention in traffic enforcement.
Powered by a network of smart cameras, the infrastructure automatically detected violations such as speeding, and other illegalities on the roads.
Under the new system, motorists received an immediate SMS notification of their offence, with fines ranging from Sh500 to Sh10,000.
Offenders were granted a strict window to settle payments through designated banking channels or face the accumulation of interest and a block on NTSA digital services, including licence renewals.
While the NTSA framed the system as a tool to curb corruption and enhance road safety, it was immediately met with stiff legal resistance.
A few days after the system was launched, the High Court issued a conservatory order suspending the system after a petition argued that “contactless” enforcement stripped citizens of their constitutional right to a fair hearing.
— NTSA KENYA (@ntsa_kenya) March 27, 2026
Critics and legal experts highlighted significant gaps, specifically regarding Section 117 of the Traffic Act. Many argued that the lack of clear signage for camera zones and the absence of a structured dispute resolution mechanism made the system feel more like a revenue-collection exercise than a safety initiative.
In its latest notice, the NTSA acknowledged these concerns, stating the withdrawal was “necessitated by the realisation that the public need to understand the details and standard procedure of handling minor traffic offences.”
“The Authority will communicate the standard procedures aligned to the provisions of the existing laws on handling of instant fines and minor traffic offenses to avoid any misinformation and provide clarity on the same,” they said.
