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Uhuru orders digital driving licence use by June next year
An accident scene. Digital licences are expected to improve the enforcement of traffic laws. PHOTO | FILE
What you need to know:
President Uhuru Kenyatta says the ease of monitoring motorists’ driving history through the digital licences will help curb accidents and improve the enforcement of traffic laws.
The paperless licences were intended to be introduced this year.
Kenya’s five million licensed drivers use the paper-based document that can be easily counterfeited.
President Uhuru Kenyatta has directed the introduction of digital driving licenses by mid next year to curb corruption and boost road safety. Mr Kenyatta said the ease of monitoring motorists’ driving history through the digital licences will help curb accidents and improve the enforcement of traffic laws.
“We plan to launch digital driving licences by mid next year. The Transport Cabinet Secretary must ensure this is effected within the stated timeframe,” said the President in a speech read on his behalf by the Transport Secretary James Macharia.
“Since my coming into office I have emphasised use of ICT in conduction of government business. As a result, some services such as renewal of driving licences and PSV badges are now done online.”
The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) was slowed down from procuring six million digital driving licences valued at Sh2.3 billion by tendering fights in a tussle that ended in court.
The paperless licences were intended to be introduced this year. Kenya’s five million licensed drivers use the paper-based document that can be easily counterfeited.
According to the NTSA, most road accidents are caused by drivers not complying with road regulations by committing offences such as speeding.
The smart licence will help to eliminate bribery and corruption in the transportation sector.
“The new card will also act like a bank card so that drivers will be able to pay for driving fines virtually, eliminating the need for cash transactions,” said an NTSA official, adding that drivers will be able to renew their cards online.
These licences will have chips containing information such as personal identification number, contacts, past traffic offences, fines previously paid and warnings, and police officers will have devices to read the information and add charge sheets to databases as necessary.
These cards will come with preloaded points and every time a driver commits a traffic offence, the points will be deducted to a point of automatically suspending the licence, the road transport regulator said.
It would enable law enforcement agencies reduce common traffic offences such as speeding, overlapping, and dangerous overtaking through system monitoring of car numbers and stickers, the agency added.
The new generation driving licence will also help insurance firms determine the amount of premium drivers will pay by reviewing their driving records.
Last year, the NTSA issued 91, 336 driving licenses, up from 88, 666 in 2014.
The President’s remarks were made during the Matatu Owners Association (MOA) Annual Delegates Conference in Nairobi.
It will not be the first time the government is considering introducing smart driving licences.
In 2009, the ministry identified a consortium to supply second-generation driving licences.
M/S Semlex Europe SA and Compulynx Limited of Belgium were expected to begin work on the new generation cards once agreements were signed by the Treasury.
