How Ruto-backed smart DLs will bypass traffic police, automate fines

National Transport and Safety Authority official guides students on road safety measures. [File, Standard]

Kenyan motorists will soon receive new digital driving licenses designed to automate traffic fines and reduce direct cash interactions with police, under a Kenya Kwanza government plan approved on Monday to modernise enforcement and curb roadside corruption.

The Cabinet sanctioned the rollout of Second-Generation Smart Driving Licenses, which will be linked to an instant digital fines system and a driver penalty points scheme. The move aims to shift traffic law enforcement from manual, officer-dependent transactions to an automated platform.

"Through innovative financing, Cabinet approved the rollout of Second-Generation Smart Driving Licenses under a public–private partnership, integrating smart licenses with an instant fines system, mobile license wallet and driver merit and demerit points to enhance road safety and modernise licensing," the Cabinet dispatch stated.

For drivers, the system will bring a significant behavioural and administrative shift. Traffic violations logged by cameras or officers will trigger automatic fines deducted from a registered mobile payment wallet, removing the opportunity for on-the-spot cash negotiations. Repeat offences will accumulate demerit points, leading to possible license suspension.

The license will function as a digital ID within a mobile “license wallet,” storing credentials and payment methods. The government says this will streamline renewals and payments while ensuring penalties are recorded systematically.

Kenya has long sought to implement smart licenses and number plates to improve safety and security, but previous tenders have been delayed by legal disputes and allegations of irregular procurement. This new attempt is part of a broader push to digitise citizen-government interactions under President William Ruto’s administration.

If successfully deployed, the system could reduce opportunities for the extortionate practices historically associated with traffic police, while ensuring penalty revenues are captured formally. However, the plan’s dependence on a public-private partnership and a robust digital infrastructure raises questions about rollout timelines, procurement transparency concerns, data security, and accessibility for all drivers.

For motorists, the era of negotiating fines at roadside checkpoints may soon be replaced by automated notifications and digital deductions.