President William Ruto has issued a 30-day ultimatum to the Ministry of Transport and the NTSA to operationalize smart traffic cameras and an instant fine framework across all major Kenyan cities.

The directive marks a critical pivot from manual traffic policing to digital enforcement. It aims to not only drastically reduce the devastating human toll of road accidents but also seal corruption loopholes that cost the exchequer billions in uncollected revenue.

A Firm Ultimatum

Speaking at State House, Nairobi, during the National Council on the Administration of Justice address on Monday morning, President Ruto confronted Transport CS Davis Chirchir and NTSA Director General Nashon Kondiwa. He expressed frustration over the sluggish implementation of the digital system.

• Rollout mandated in five to six major towns within 30 days.
• System to be fully integrated with the instant fines framework.
• Move aimed at addressing systemic weaknesses in road safety.

The Cost of Carnage

Kenya loses thousands of lives annually to road accidents, with a profound economic impact estimated at billions of shillings. "Rolling out cameras is not rocket science," Ruto declared, demanding immediate action. The integration of instant fines is expected to deter reckless driving by ensuring immediate, unavoidable penalties for offenders.

A Broader Safety Strategy

This technological upgrade is part of a broader, coordinated national effort to enforce traffic regulations. By removing the human element from basic traffic enforcement, the government hopes to curb the rampant bribery that has historically compromised road safety. The NTSA is now under immense pressure to deliver on this presidential mandate.

"We have taken forever. Why haven't we rolled out the cameras on our roads?" Ruto challenged, setting the clock ticking for transport officials.