President William Ruto has ordered the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) and the Ministry of Roads and Transport to roll out road surveillance cameras in six major urban areas within one month in a renewed bid to curb traffic offences and rising road fatalities.
Speaking during a high-level road safety meeting convened under the National Council on the Administration of Justice (NCAJ) at State House, Nairobi, the President expressed frustration over delays in implementing the long-discussed instant fines and digital enforcement programme.
“I have always wondered why we have taken forever, the ministry of Roads and Transport. Why do we enforce the instant fines programmes? Why have we not rolled out the cameras on our roads? It’s just as simple as that. NTSA is here, it is my position that within the shortest time possible, let us roll out the cameras. We have been discussing this forever,” Ruto said.
The Head of State directly sought a timeline from Roads Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir on when the cameras could be operational.
Chirchir responded that the project should be completed within a maximum of one month.
Ruto insisted that the timeframe must not be exceeded. “Let us roll out cameras on the roads in six major towns in Kenya in the next one month,” Ruto said.
He directed NTSA to immediately begin implementation in coordination with the Roads ministry.
“When we leave this place, NTSA go and do what you have to do with the support of the Roads ministry,” he added.
The President emphasised that the cameras must be integrated into the instant fines framework to allow for automated penalties for traffic offenders.
According to Ruto, the system will eliminate unnecessary confrontations between motorists and traffic officers while easing the burden on the courts.
“We will not need to argue with offenders, we will not bother magistrates in court because the fines will be predetermined. When you commit an offence you have a fine on your phone instantly,” Ruto added.
He further noted that the move would enhance revenue collection and efficiency in traffic management. “Issue of us not having money will also end because we will be collecting money instantly. And then we can allow the courts to handle the serious cases of crime,” he said.
The renewed push comes against the backdrop of alarming road safety statistics. Kenya records more than 4,000 road fatalities annually. Last year alone, 5,009 deaths were reported, 261 more than in 2024, with accidents costing the economy an estimated Sh450 billion, equivalent to about five per cent of the country’s GDP.
During the 2025 festive season alone, 415 deaths were recorded, marking a 23 per cent increase from the previous year.
Ruto said the government must act decisively to reverse the trend, stressing that technology-driven enforcement is no longer optional but necessary to save lives and restore order on Kenyan roads.
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