Motorists violating traffic rules in Nairobi could soon start feeling it in their pockets if a plan by Governor Johnson Sakaja to use cameras on key roads to catch them is rolled out.
The governor said a pilot of the plan along popular junctions in the city has shown that violation of traffic rules is untapped rich mine` for fines that could fund the Judiciary and the county administration.
He said they installed cameras in the pilot initiative in some junctions.
One such junction was off Oloitoktok road in Kileleshwa going up to Yaya Centre, he said.
“We have done a study where we have put cameras at some junctions like in Kileleshwa, Oloitoktok coming to Yaya Centre where we have smart cameras. One junction alone has a potential of collecting Sh1.5 billion. What about when we do 200 junctions?” he posed.
Sakaja said with the question of the financial viability of the plan out of the way, the Judiciary should be willing to share the funds equitably with the county administration.
“If we don’t agree on how we share [these proceeds], 100 per cent of zero is zero,” he said.
Sakaja said the financial viability of traffic offences has been proven in jurisdictions like Dubai where the entire police force is funded by such revenue.
He said the Judiciary leadership must develop a framework that ensures the money is sent back to the county as it keeps a fraction in a partnership that ensures proper development.
The governor said the Judiciary and the county can work together to realise the milestone and attain a win-win settlement with the courts finding sustained revenue stream for its operations and the administration also shoring up its own source revenue collection.
“Let’s be pragmatic between ourselves and the Judiciary on how we can jump these hurdles together,” Sakaja said.
He said the plan to instal smart cameras is a timely intervention in ensuring adherence to the traffic rules, sorting out the challenge of snarl-ups often caused by bad driving and ensure safety on city roads.
The stance by the city boss comes at a time when the national government has been heightening campaign for road safety as the countryheads to year-end festivities.
This period has often been characterised by fatal road crashes that claim many lives and leave thousands maimed.
Between January and February this year, when the traffic deaths were surging, the government announced it had collected close to Sh300 million in traffic fines following aggressive enforcement of the rules.
It said it collected Sh299,490,400 in court fines and forfeitures between January 1 and February 29 this year, following the arrest and prosecution of 22,958 drivers for violating traffic laws.
The majority of the drivers were arrested for speeding and drunk driving, which are the two major causes of road crashes.
During the period according to
the Interior ministry, 1,926 crashes
were reported across the country
compared to 1,503 in a similar period in 2023, translating to 28 per
cent increase.
