KENYA: Transporters Push for Instant Mobile Money Traffic Fines to Curb Corruption

The Kenya Transporters Association (KTA) lobbied the government to urgently initiate instant fines as a means to curbing corruption along Kenyan roads.

In a statement released on Monday, the Association lamented the existence of chama — a system bred out of corruption — which entails transporters paying monthly payments to the police who in turn offer them protection against harassment.

“This (Chama) practice involves traffic police officers and some Base Commanders, soliciting illegal monthly payments from transporters. These payments act as protection against prosecution and harassment for potential traffic violations, explained KTA.

The transporters claimed that while traffic police officers were perpetuating corruption, transporters were enabling it by agreeing to pay the bribes.

As a means to curb this practice, the transporters urged the government to institutionalise instant fines as adopted by some developed nations.

The instant fines which would be charged on the road would be remitted through mobile money to the relevant authorities.

“We also call on the government to urgently implement a standardized traffic instant fines system where motorists can pay the fines over the mobile money system like in the neighboring countries. At least the fines would benefit the country instead of lining the pockets of corrupt police officers, stated KTA.

Additionally, KTA accused traffic police officers, particularly some of the base commanders, of being the main forces behind the chama system.

According to the Association, most police officers have been hiding their identities while demanding bribes on the roads.

The transporters are now demanding that police officers always have their tags on while they are on duty on Kenyan roads.

The push comes after President William Ruto on April 17 directed former Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen to expedite the rollout of instant fines on Kenyan roads. 

Speaking during the launch of the National Road Safety Action Plan 2024 - 2028, Ruto vetoed an earlier plan by the Ministry arguing that the 90 days that Murkomen had set for the project was too long.

However, the government is yet to issue an exact date when the program will be rolled out.

SOURCE: KENYANS.CO.KE /  HELLEN NJOROGE