NAIROBI, Kenya — Members of Parliament have challenged the National Transport and Safety Authority’s (NTSA) decision to attach instant traffic fines to vehicle logbooks, arguing that the system unfairly punishes vehicle owners instead of the drivers responsible for traffic offences.
The issue was raised during National Assembly proceedings on Thursday, with lawmakers calling for a review of the enforcement framework to ensure accountability rests with offending motorists rather than registered vehicle owners.
Molo MP Kuria Kimani argued that linking penalties to vehicle logbooks does little to discourage reckless driving because the individual committing the offence may not be the registered owner.
“Attaching instant traffic fines to a vehicle’s logbook fails to deter reckless drivers and unfairly penalises vehicle owners and financiers. To make sure accountability rests with the offender, fines should be linked to the offending driver’s licence,” Kimani said.
He maintained that traffic penalties should instead be tied to drivers’ licences, saying such an approach would directly hold offenders accountable for their actions on the road.
Ride-hailing and commercial vehicles
Kimani cited ride-hailing businesses as an example of how the current system could unfairly affect vehicle owners.
“I think who the fine is attached to needs to be rethought. For example, if I have 10 vehicles that I use as Uber cars and the drivers operate them dangerously and are fined, the penalty ends up being attached to the logbook. That does not deter the behaviour of the driver. Perhaps the fines should instead be attached to that driver’s licence rather than the vehicle’s logbook,” he said.
The legislator said many commercial vehicle owners entrust their vehicles to employees or contracted drivers, making it unjust for owners to bear the consequences of offences they did not commit.
Concerns over financed vehicles
Kimani also warned that the system could create complications for financial institutions that jointly own vehicles under asset financing agreements.
“Another complication involves vehicles that are on loan. For example, a logbook may be under joint ownership between the bank and the borrower. When a fine is lodged against that vehicle’s logbook, it also affects the lender, whether it is a bank or even smaller lenders such as motorcycle financiers,” he said.
Lawmakers argued that such an arrangement could expose lenders to unnecessary administrative and financial challenges despite having no role in the commission of traffic offences.
Calls for policy review
The debate comes amid growing public scrutiny of NTSA’s instant traffic fines framework, which records traffic violations through the Transport Integrated Management System (TIMS) and links them to a vehicle’s digital record on the eCitizen platform.
Motorists have questioned the fairness and implementation of the system, prompting MPs to urge NTSA to review the policy and adopt an enforcement model that places responsibility on offending drivers while protecting innocent vehicle owners and financiers.