NTSA speed cameras get signs: How traffic system gives automatic fines

The camera does not need to flag you down.

That is the central change behind Kenya’s new automated traffic enforcement system, where smart cameras can identify speeding, read a vehicle’s registration plate and trigger a traffic penalty notification without a traffic officer stopping the driver.

On September 30, NTSA Director-General Nashon Kondiwa said every speed camera deployed under the system will be accompanied by clear signage informing motorists they are entering a speed-monitoring zone.

The authority says the cameras will work alongside conventional police enforcement rather than replace it altogether.

How speed cameras work

The system links roadside cameras to vehicle registration records.

When an automated offence is detected, the penalty is directed to the registered owner of the vehicle.

For automatically detected offences, NTSA says the notification can include a photograph and GIF showing the alleged violation, together with the location, date and time.

The motorist receives an SMS directing them to the official fines portal, with a reference number that can be verified through designated payment points.

The technology is designed to detect more than speed.

NTSA says AI-enabled cameras can monitor lane violations and driver distractions such as mobile-phone use.

The authority has also said cameras will be placed using crash and collision data, rather than revenue targets, with road-risk analysis guiding deployment.

The fines

Under the current penalty structure reported by NTSA, exceeding the prescribed speed limit by 6–10km/h attracts a Sh500 fine.

Going 11-15km/h over the limit attracts Sh3,000, while 16-20km/h above the limit carries a Sh10,000 penalty.

Repeat offenders can also accumulate points under the demerit system, with 20 points potentially triggering licence suspension.

That means a driver does not have to be dramatically above the limit to enter the automated enforcement system.

Speed limits themselves still depend on the road.

Speed limits range from 50km/h in urban areas to 80km/h and above on major highways, with specific limits applying on individual sections of roads such as Mombasa Road, Waiyaki Way and the Nairobi Expressway.

The court question

The automated-fines programme has faced several legal challenges since its rollout.

In a ruling delivered on September 17, the High Court struck out a petition by George Shitandi challenging the system, holding that the case was barred by the doctrine of res judicata because similar issues had already been determined in an earlier 2018 case.

At the same time, the wider programme has continued to face litigation over the way automated penalties are generated and enforced.

A September 30 NTV report said a High Court conservatory order had temporarily stopped issuance and enforcement of automated penalties pending further proceedings.

The distinction between the enforcement framework, the camera infrastructure and the various court cases is likely to remain important as Kenya moves deeper into digital traffic policing.

Beyond the cameras themselves, Nairobi is also building a separate Intelligent Transport System.

This covers 25 signalized junctions in its first phase, with a Sh7.9 billion investment that includes surveillance cameras, vehicle-enforcement equipment, traffic sensors and a central traffic-management centre.

The larger three-phase programme has been pegged at about Sh44.9 billion.