A 21-year public–private partnership between KCB Group and Pesa Print is set to transform Kenya’s smart driving licence and automated traffic enforcement system into a multi-billion-shilling revenue venture.
The partnership aims to modernize the country’s road safety infrastructure while generating revenue through licensing fees and automated traffic penalties. The consortium plans to invest about Ksh 42 billion in the project and recover the capital over the concession period. Sources familiar with the arrangement say the investors could potentially realize at least a 120 percent return on the investment, translating to roughly Sh50.4 billion in gross returns.
Under the model, revenue will largely come from user charges administered by the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA). Motorists will pay Sh3,000 for the new smart driving licence, while traffic offenders will face instant fines ranging from Sh500 for failing to wear a seat belt to as much as Sh10,000 for serious violations such as overspeeding or driving without a valid inspection certificate.
The project will also see the deployment of more than 1,000 smart surveillance cameras across the country to support automated enforcement. According to the plan, about 700 cameras will be fixed at key traffic points while 300 will be mobile units used to detect and record traffic violations in real time.
Authorities say the technology-driven system is expected to improve road safety, enhance compliance with traffic laws, and streamline the collection of fines while reducing human interaction in traffic enforcement.
However, the initiative has also sparked debate among motorists and policy analysts about the cost implications for drivers and the long-term financial returns for the private partners involved.