NTSA emerge as new hub for multi-billion deals for bigwigs amid fresh traffic enforcement plans
The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) is increasingly emerging as a focal point for lucrative multi-billion-shilling government contracts seized by bigwigs, raising concerns over the growing influence of politically connected individuals in major public projects tied to road safety and digital transport systems.
The latest development follows the authority’s announcement of a new automated Instant Fines Traffic Management System aimed at curbing traffic violations across the country.
The initiative will see the rollout of about 1,000 smart traffic cameras on major roads to detect offences and automatically issue instant fines to motorists.
NTSA said motorists who commit traffic violations will receive automated SMS notifications detailing the offence and the fine payable.
“This process is fully automated and operates without human intervention, ensuring greater transparency, efficiency and accountability in traffic enforcement,” the authority said in a statement released on March 9, 2026.
Under the new system, the Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Paul Russo’s led Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) has been designated as the central collection agency responsible for receiving payments of all fines issued through the digital platform. Motorists will be required to settle penalties within seven days.
In addition, drivers or vehicle owners with unpaid fines will not be able to access NTSA services until the penalties are cleared.
“The vehicle or the driver with a pending fine will not be able to transact on NTSA service platforms until the fine is settled,” a statement issued by the newly appointed Director General Nashon Kondiwa’s led authority.
The automated enforcement system was first piloted in late 2024, with full rollout planned between 2025 and 2026.
However, the launch comes against the backdrop of past controversies surrounding similar technology-driven security projects that consumed billions of shillings in public funds but delivered limited results.
One such project was the Integrated Public Safety Communications and Surveillance System, launched in 2014 as a partnership between the Kenyan government and telecommunications giant Safaricom PLC.
The initiative was designed to enhance surveillance and law enforcement capabilities by installing high-definition CCTV cameras in major cities and establishing a centralised command system for police operations.
Initially valued at Sh12.3 billion, the cost of the project was later revised upward to Sh15 billion.
The plan involved installing more than 2,100 high-definition CCTV cameras across Nairobi and Mombasa, alongside digital radio communication systems to replace traditional police walkie-talkies.
The surveillance infrastructure was also expected to include a video conferencing system, a centralized command centre for security agencies and a mapping platform that would enable officers to coordinate responses more effectively.
During the first phase, about 7,600 officers from the National Police Service were to be equipped with multimedia radio communication devices linked to the new system.
At the time, the project was presented as a major step toward modernizing Kenya’s security infrastructure.
The then President Uhuru Kenyatta was even shown demonstrations of how police officers could capture images or video footage at crime scenes and instantly share them with the central command centre and other officers in the field.
Under the leadership of Safaricom’s late Chief Executive Officer Bob Collymore, the company projected that the system would be fully operational within four months.
However, the project soon became embroiled in controversy amid allegations of corruption, procurement irregularities and questions about its effectiveness.
In 2020, the National Assembly Committee on National Security suspended the tender after raising concerns over the legality of the contract and the project’s implementation.
It also emerged that despite the massive investment, the surveillance cameras failed to deliver the intended security benefits.
The troubled history of the surveillance system has fueled skepticism about new technology-driven initiatives involving large public expenditures.
More recently, fresh questions have emerged over another multi-billion-shilling project linked to NTSA, the rollout of Kenya’s second-generation smart driving licences.
The project, estimated to cost about Sh45 billion, aims to modernize the country’s driver licensing system through advanced digital and biometric technologies.
Under the plan, traditional driving licences will gradually be replaced with chip-embedded smart cards featuring enhanced security features and connected to a central digital database.
The system will allow authorities to monitor drivers’ records more efficiently while strengthening enforcement of traffic regulations.
The programme is expected to operate under a long-term public-private partnership lasting about 21 years.
However, reports that politically connected business figures have taken control of a company poised to secure the contract have sparked fresh scrutiny over the ownership structure behind the deal with fear the development could concentrate control of a key government project in the hands of individuals with close ties to powerful political interests.
Under the new framework, millions of high-security polycarbonate licences are expected to be produced periodically as motorists transition to the new system.
Enrollment centres across the country will capture motorists’ biometric data and personal details for integration into a centralized digital database.
The platform will also introduce additional features such as a driver merit and demerit points system, mobile driving licence wallets and automated enforcement through speed cameras installed along major highways.
Government officials say the reforms will streamline traffic management, reduce corruption and improve the overall efficiency of transport services.
