Tension erupted outside the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) headquarters in Nairobi on Thursday morning as protesters demanded the resignation of Director General George Njao, accusing him of presiding over massive corruption and system failures blamed for the worsening road carnage in the country.
The demonstrations, led by the Road Safety Association of Kenya, brought together dozens of motorists, road safety activists, and victims’ families who said NTSA had failed in its core mandate to ensure safety and accountability on Kenyan roads.
According to the association’s chairperson, David Njoroge Kierie, the rot within NTSA has allowed corruption to thrive, with more than 1.2 million vehicles allegedly going uninspected in 2024, generating an estimated Ksh7.2 billion in bribes.
“It is the Kenyan people who pay for this office and their salaries. If they cannot deliver on their mandate, the Director General must step aside,” Kierie declared, handing over a petition to NTSA officials.
The protesters accused the agency of neglecting its responsibility to control the Transport Integrated Management System (TIMS), two years after it went live in 2023. They claimed the authority still lacks access to crucial data needed for revenue tracking, enforcement, and accountability.
The group also raised concerns over the smart driving licence project, saying that although more than four million licences have been produced, most remain unused without a clear explanation. They further alleged that no formal contract was signed for the adoption of the system a move they said has compromised NTSA’s legal oversight and technical control.
Kierie lamented that corruption in the sector has had deadly consequences, claiming that over 60,000 people have lost their lives in road crashes in the past six years, a tragedy he attributed to poor regulation and failed leadership.
The protesters also criticised the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) for failing to act on multiple audit reports implicating NTSA, saying key findings had been left “to gather dust” on the agency’s desk for over two years.
The association is now calling on the NTSA Board of Governors to suspend Njao and advertise for a new Director General immediately, even if it means appointing one in an acting capacity as investigations continue.
 headquarters in Nairobi on Thursday morning as protesters demanded the resignation of Director General George Njao, accusing him of presiding over massive corruption and system failures blamed for the worsening road carnage in the country.){kind=link}