Police boss Kanja: You’ll pay instant traffic fines by end of 2025

The National Police Service plans to roll out a digital system for instant traffic fines by end of 2025, Inspector General Douglas Kanja has announced.

This, he said, will also see minimal interactions and presence of traffic police officers on the roads, in a move aimed at curbing corruption.

“We are working to digitise traffic management by introducing instant fines. This will allow motorists to pay penalties immediately, minimizing direct interactions between officers and drivers and reducing opportunities for corruption,” Mr Kanja said on Saturday February 15 at St Joseph Allamano Secondary School Mbiriri in Nyeri County.

The announcement comes days after the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) arrested three traffic officers at the Globe Cinema Roundabout in Nairobi.

The officers were found in possession of Sh48,000.

The initiative Mr Kanja announced is part of a broader push to modernise police operations, including the rollout of an online Occurrence Book (OB) system that will allow citizens to report complaints remotely, with officers responding in real time.

IG Kanja announced plans to implement the digital OB (Occurrence Book) within two months, targeting full operationalization by April 2025.

On January 5, the Ministry of Interior unveiled plans for a nationwide rollout of the digital Occurrence Book alongside a comprehensive system for processing traffic fines, set to be in place by April 2025.

This move will allow Kenyans to report incidents online, reducing the need for physical visits to police stations.

The digitisation effort is part of a larger seven-year strategy, aligning with recommendations from the National Task Force on Police Reforms. The programme seeks to enhance transparency, efficiency, and service delivery within the police force.

IG Kanja, who also serves on the School Infrastructure Committee, was attending the commissioning of a new gate and an ablution block at St Joseph Allamano Secondary School, built with financial assistance from the People’s Republic of China.

School board chairman Victor Maina highlighted the significance of the new facilities, noting that the school's toilets frequently flooded during heavy rains, requiring costly evacuations.

“This is a low-lying area, and every time it rains, the school’s toilets would flood, forcing us to spend large amounts of money on repairs. We are grateful to the Ministry of Education for supporting this project,” he said.

He added that the school has continued to make great strides, with 11 students from the 2024 class securing admission to national universities.