The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) has moved to court to block the government’s procurement of 25 traffic cameras at a cost of Sh6.1 billion.
In its petition, LSK argues that the procurement process lacked due diligence, public participation, and transparency. The respondents named in the case include the Transport Cabinet Secretary, the Speaker of the National Assembly, the Secretary to the Cabinet, the Prime Cabinet Secretary, the Inspector-General of Police, and the Attorney General.
LSK claims that despite multiple requests, no evidence of public participation—such as media advertisements, written submissions, or attendance records from public hearings—was provided. This, the society states, violates constitutional principles of good governance and accountability.
According to court documents, the Ministry of Transport approved and implemented the project to ease traffic congestion in Nairobi. However, LSK contends that the project imposes an unnecessary financial burden on taxpayers. The society also states that repeated appeals for procurement details and justification have been ignored.
LSK is now seeking a conservatory order to suspend the project and an order compelling the government to disclose all relevant documents, including feasibility studies, cost breakdowns, and public participation records.
Terming the project excessively costly relative to its benefits, LSK argues that traffic management at the affected junctions could be handled by police officers at a much lower cost.
After hearing the petition, Justice Chacha Mwita directed that the application be served on the respondents, with a hearing set for Wednesday next week.
