The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) Director General, Nashon Kondiwa, is at risk of being committed to civil jail following allegations that he defied a High Court order suspending the implementation of a smart driving licence and automated traffic fines system.
The Road Safety Association of Kenya (RSAK), led by chairman David Kiarie, filed a petition on August 12 seeking to have Kondiwa cited for contempt of court. The petition claims that despite a conservatory order issued on May 29 by High Court judge Magare Dennis Kizito, which halted the rollout of the public-private partnership (PPP) project, NTSA proceeded with the deployment.
The PPP involved a financial technology company responsible for designing and implementing the smart driving licences and digital fines system. The suspension order was communicated to all parties, including NTSA, through email on May 30 and in person on June 2. Kondiwa was formally notified via a letter dated June 5, which he received the same day.
Despite these notifications, RSAK asserts that NTSA continued enforcing the automated fines system, prompting the contempt application. The issue has escalated with the Consumer Federation of Kenya (COFEK) filing a related petition involving multiple state agencies.
Justice Patricia Nyaudi has scheduled the final ruling for November 26, 2026. This legal challenge coincides with another High Court decision blocking NTSA from permanently invalidating existing physical motor vehicle logbooks, complicating the authority’s ongoing transition to an electronic registration system.
NTSA aims to move all logbook services online to improve convenience and efficiency for motorists across Kenya.
