Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has made a forceful appeal to the Judiciary to vacate court orders stalling the implementation of automated traffic enforcement, arguing that speed cameras and instant fines are critical to ending the “slaughter” on Kenyan roads.
The Deputy President’s remarks come at a time of heightened national grief following a string of fatal accidents that have claimed dozens of lives in recent weeks.
Speaking on Tuesday at the Kabiruini Showground in Nyeri Town, Prof. Kindiki addressed mourners during an interdenominational funeral service for 16 victims of a horrific crash on the Nyeri-Nyahururu highway.
The Deputy President emphasized that the government is ready to deploy modern technology to restore order, but is currently hamstrung by legal hurdles.
“We appeal to the Judiciary to support efforts to save lives by lifting orders that have halted the use of speed cameras and instant fines,” Kindiki stated. “We must operationalize these road safety measures because we are losing too many people.”
The proposed safety rollout aims to eliminate human error and corruption in traffic policing through a digitized system. Under the new framework described by the DP on automated detection that the high-speed cameras installed on major highways will capture vehicles exceeding limits.
On direct fines, penalties will be sent automatically to the offender’s mobile phone. Strict compliance where failure to pay will result in the immediate restriction of the vehicle’s operations and licensing penalties where chronic offenders will face the permanent revocation of their driving licenses.
“If drivers reduce speed, they can better control their vehicles in unexpected situations,” Kindiki noted, attributing the majority of recent fatalities to speeding and unroadworthy vehicles.
Representing President William Ruto, the Deputy President assured the grieving families that the State would provide comprehensive support. He confirmed that the Presidency has been in close coordination with the Nyeri County Government to manage the logistics of the mass send-off.
“The President has personally supported the families. As a government, we will fully support the families even after today,” he pledged.
The push for instant fines and camera enforcement has long been a point of contention between the executive and civil society groups, who have previously moved to court citing concerns over the lack of public participation and potential privacy violations.
However, with the death toll rising, the DP’s stance signals a renewed urgency from the Kenya Kwanza administration to bypass traditional roadblocks and prioritize road safety as a matter of national security.
