Motorists across the country will have to wait longer for the rollout of the National Transport and Safety Authority’s (NTSA) second-generation smart driving licence and automated traffic enforcement system after the High Court temporarily suspended the project.
The decision was issued by Justice Dennis Kizito of the High Court in Kerugoya, who halted the implementation of the project pending the hearing and determination of a petition filed by the Road Safety Association of Kenya.
The court’s orders also affect a 21-year Public-Private Partnership agreement between NTSA and Pesa Print Limited that was intended to oversee the implementation of the new technology-driven system.
Under the proposed arrangement, motorists were expected to acquire second-generation smart driving licences at a cost of Ksh3,050. Pesa Print Limited was to handle the design and printing of the licences, while a local banking institution would facilitate enrolment and registration processes.
The project was also set to introduce a nationwide automated traffic enforcement system aimed at enhancing road safety and improving compliance with traffic regulations. A key component of the initiative involved the installation of 1,000 smart traffic cameras, including 700 fixed cameras and 300 mobile units, on major roads and highways across the country.
The system would have enabled authorities to automatically detect traffic offences and issue fines directly to motorists through SMS notifications linked to their driving licence profiles.
However, the Road Safety Association of Kenya challenged the implementation of the project, prompting the court to issue conservatory orders. In its petition, the association raised concerns over the procurement process used to award the contract.
The petitioners argued that the project was directly procured despite concerns that had previously been flagged by the Office of the Auditor General. They further claimed that NTSA failed to conduct adequate public participation before moving forward with implementation.
Additionally, the association questioned whether the necessary approvals and resolutions had been obtained from the NTSA board before committing to the multi-billion-shilling project.
In directions issued by the court, the matter was certified as urgent, with respondents ordered to file their responses within ten days. The case is scheduled for mention on June 21, 2026.
The ruling represents a temporary setback for the planned digital transformation of traffic management and driver licensing services in Kenya. It also places renewed focus on issues of procurement transparency, public participation and accountability in the implementation of major government projects.
The fate of the project will now depend on the outcome of the ongoing court proceedings.
 second-generation smart driving licence and automated traffic enforcement system after the High Court temporarily suspended the project.){kind=link}