President William Ruto has ordered the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) and the Ministry of Transport to fast-track the roll out smart traffic cameras in all cities to curb bribery and improve compliance with traffic laws.
Ruto said the cameras must be fully integrated with the instant fines system to make it simple for offenders to pay penalties without spending hours in court.
He issued the directive at State House Nairobi during the presentation of a report by the National Council on the Administration of Justice on traffic accidents and deaths.
“Part of the reason it is easy to pay a bribe rather than go to court is because it takes so long to pay a legitimate fine. That’s how we end up with the challenges we have,” Ruto said.
“Rolling out the cameras is not rocket science. We have had them before, so let’s implement them now,” he added
Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir confirmed that the rollout will be completed within a month under an investor-supported programme.
Ruto linked the move to urgent national concerns over road safety, noting that Kenya records more than 4,000 road deaths annually.
Last year alone, 5,009 fatalities were reported, an increase of 261 compared to 2024, while the 2025 festive season saw 415 deaths, up 23% from the previous year.
The President further noted that the deployment of prosecutors and officers from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) as well as NTSA has helped reduce Public Service Vehicle fatalities by 10%.
Ruto reaffirmed the government’s commitment to improving road safety through strong political leadership and dedicated funding, including the operationalisation of the National Road Safety Fund.
“We cannot, and we will not, accept the continued loss of Kenyan lives on our roads. The government is fully committed to ensuring that the recommendations arising from this pilot are implemented decisively and without undue delay,” he said
