The High Court in Kerugoya has temporarily suspended the National Transport and Safety Authority’s (NTSA) second-generation smart driving licence and automated traffic enforcement system, halting a 21-year Public-Private Partnership (PPP) with Pesa Print Limited.
Justice Dennis Kizito issued the conservatory orders on 29 May 2026 following a petition by the Road Safety Association of Kenya, which raised concerns over the legality and transparency of the deal. The matter is scheduled for mention on 21 June 2026, with respondents directed to file their responses within 10 days.
The suspended project would have introduced new smart driving licences at a cost of Ksh3,050 per motorist, with Pesa Print managing card design and printing and a local bank overseeing enrolment and registration.
Central to the system was the planned installation of 1,000 smart traffic cameras, 700 fixed and 300 mobile units, across major highways nationwide. The platform would also have enabled instant traffic fines delivered via SMS and linked directly to a motorist’s driving licence profile.
The Road Safety Association of Kenya moved to court citing what it described as a flawed procurement process. The petition alleged that the deal was directly procured despite having previously been flagged by the Office of the Auditor General.
The association further argued that NTSA rushed the implementation without meaningful public participation or input from transport sector operators. Critically, it also contended that the contract lacked the necessary NTSA board resolutions authorising the multi-billion shilling arrangement.
“The implementation of the Public-Private Partnership between NTSA and Pesa Print Limited consortium relating to smart driving licences, automated traffic fines and associated services has been suspended,” the court ruled.
The suspension places a significant question mark over Kenya’s push to modernise road safety enforcement, at least until the court determines the merits of the petition.
Go to TECHTRENDSKE.co.ke for more tech and business news from the African continent and across the world.
Follow us on WhatsApp, Telegram, Twitter, and Facebook, or subscribe to our weekly newsletter to ensure you don’t miss out on any future updates. Send tips to editorial@techtrendsmedia.co.ke
