By the 254.ke Newsroom. Updated November 3, 2026.
The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) says it hopes to bring back instant traffic fines on November 26, 2026, but only if the court cases holding up the system are resolved first. Until a court clears it, drivers should not assume a camera-issued fine is enforceable, and NTSA’s own road safety director has said the programme is “not happening” at present because of those cases.
Here is where the dispute stands, what the fines would cost, and what a motorist can do if a notice arrives.
Will NTSA instant fines start on November 26, 2026?
Not confirmed. NTSA Director of Road Safety Andrew Kiplagat told Citizen TV in early October that the framework is in place but stalled by litigation. “Challenges are being addressed, and we believe that once this is finalised, we hope that by November 26 it will give us room to deter some drivers’ behaviours,” Capital FM quoted him as saying on October 6.
The date is a hope, not a launch notice. It is also the same day the High Court is due to deliver a ruling: Kenyans.co.ke reported on August 12 that Justice Patricia Nyaudi had set November 26, 2026, for the final ruling in one of the challenges. The report did not say which petition that ruling covers, so readers should not treat the two dates as formally linked.
How did the instant fines saga get here?
- February 24-25: NTSA announced a Sh42 billion, 21-year public-private partnership with KCB Bank Kenya and Pesa Print to install 1,000 speed cameras: 700 fixed on highways and 300 mobile, according to The Star.
- March 9-12: NTSA gave notice that instant fines would go live. On March 12, a conservatory order in a petition by Sheria Mtaani barred it from enforcing penalties generated by automated systems, Citizen Digital reported.
- March 27: NTSA withdrew the go-live notice, saying the public needed to understand the procedure under Section 117 of the Traffic Act.
- May 28: Business Daily reported revised rules letting motorists decline to pay and challenge a fine in court.
- May 29: A separate conservatory order, from Justice Magare Dennis Kizito, suspended the wider public-private arrangement covering smart licences and digital fines, according to Kenyans.co.ke.
- June 1-4: The revised framework was described as operational. On June 4, The Standard reported Justice Bahati Mwamuye ordering NTSA to keep a detailed schedule of every payment under the system.
- August 12: The Road Safety Association of Kenya asked the High Court to cite NTSA Director General Nashon Kondiwa for contempt, alleging enforcement continued after the May 29 order. No NTSA response was reported.
Those accounts do not sit neatly together. The Standard said the June 4 order did not halt enforcement, while the contempt petition says an earlier order suspended the whole arrangement. None of the sources reviewed reports how the June 4 hearing ended or any ruling after August 12, so the legal status today is unclear.
How much would an instant fine cost?
Instant fines draw on the Traffic (Minor Offences) Rules, 2016. Figures below are those published by The Star and HapaKenya.
| Offence | Fine |
|---|---|
| Speeding 1-5 km/h over the limit | Warning, no fine |
| Speeding 6-10 km/h over | Sh500 |
| Speeding 11-15 km/h over | Sh3,000 |
| Speeding 16-20 km/h over | Sh10,000 |
| Using a mobile phone while driving | Sh2,000 |
| Ignoring traffic signs or police directions | Sh3,000 |
| Driving on a pedestrian walkway | Sh5,000 |
| No valid inspection certificate, or no number plates | Sh10,000 |
Speeding more than 20 km/h over the limit is not a minor offence. According to HapaKenya, it is treated as reckless driving and goes to a regular traffic court.
What can a driver do if a fine notice arrives?
Under the framework as described by HapaKenya and The Standard, a motorist has two options. They can admit liability and pay within the stated period through the designated digital or bank channels; cash bail is prohibited. Or they can dispute the allegation, attend traffic court on an assigned date, and post bail equal to the statutory penalty by non-cash means. A court may reduce or refund the penalty, and can impose demerit points.
Notices may be handed over by police at the scene, fixed to the vehicle, or sent by SMS, email or other approved digital platforms. NTSA says that for camera detections the violation will be captured and sent to the owner, who is then given time to pay before other procedures follow. Ignoring a notice altogether may bring harsher penalties from the courts, HapaKenya noted.
Why does NTSA want this system?
NTSA says it wants to ease court congestion by settling minor offences administratively, cut opportunities for bribery by reducing contact with officers, and improve fine collection. It cites road deaths rising from 3,875 in 2019 to more than 5,100 in 2024, and crashes costing about Sh450 billion a year. Critics have raised fair-hearing and data-privacy concerns, the issues behind the court challenges.
FAQ
Are instant traffic fines in force in Kenya right now?
NTSA’s road safety director said in October that the programme is not operating because of court cases. Sources reviewed do not show a ruling lifting the orders.
Can a camera fine be issued without a police officer present?
That is the design of the speed-camera system, with violations sent to the owner by digital notice. It is the part under legal challenge, so enforcement depends on the courts.
Can I contest an instant fine?
Yes. The revised framework lets a motorist dispute the notice in traffic court instead of paying, posting bail equal to the penalty by non-cash channels.
Do I need to do anything before November 26?
Not officially. Keep your inspection certificate, licence and number plates in order, since those carry fixed penalties, and watch for a formal NTSA notice confirming any start date. Official updates are posted on NTSA’s website.
Related reading on 254.ke: NTSA’s uncollected logbooks and plates notice and Nairobi’s congestion problem.
