What You Need to Know
Motorists in Kenya are experiencing significant frustration as they attempt to renew their driving licences through the eCitizen platform. Persistent technical glitches have disrupted payments and stalled applications, with many drivers unable to complete the renewal process for days. This situation has raised concerns about potential penalties from traffic police and the lack of communication and
Africa-Press – Kenya. Drivers across Kenya are facing mounting frustration as they renew their driving licences, as persistent technical hitches on the government’s eCitizen platform disrupt payments and stall applications.
What was once touted as a seamless digital transition by the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) is increasingly becoming a source of anxiety for motorists, with many reporting that payments for renewal of driving licences via e-Citizen have not been going through for almost a week now.
The system fails to prompt M-Pesa for payment after inserting a code, leaving transactions stuck in “pending. ””I have been trying to renew my license since Monday without success.
Driving is my primary source of income. I have not earned a shilling in the past three days. I hope the government gives a clear direction on this matter as soon as possible,” Simon Wamae, a public service vehicle driver along Wayaki Way, told the.
A digital taxi driver, James Wandati, fears that traffic police officers might take advantage of the situation to unfairly penalize many motorists. “It took me over 45 minutes to explain to a traffic officer why I have not renewed my licence.
Why is NTSA not issuing a statement? We are wasting time and money as police officers extort us. I have restarted the application process more than 20 times without success.
I’m stuck at payment pending,” Wandati said. Pauline Njenga, a school bus driver, says that she was forced to walk to the NTSA offices to obtain a temporary letter indicating that her valid licence is being processed.
“I had to physically visit the NTSA offices to procure a temporary relief.
“I have been trying to renew my permit for two days now. Sad that the government is not giving any way forward, yet thousands of people are stuck.
“As motorists agonise, state agencies are trading blame, with NTSA pointing fingers at e-Citizen.
“I suspect the glitch is linked to system synchronization delays between Safaricom’s M-Pesa platform and the eCitizen portal, where payment confirmations fail to relay in real time.
Let me check with the technical team to establish the actual problem,” a senior official at NTSA told. “We don’t handle the payment part. Kindly check with e-Citizen,” Dido Guyatu, deputy director of communications at NTSA, told.
This is not the first time motorists have encountered system downtime as they seek various government services. A spot shows that at least four glitches have been encountered since January, with thousands of drivers yet to receive their updated licences, three months after paying.
In May last year, the NTSA experienced a major glitch that paralysed all services. It is perhaps these inconveniences that have seen the agency announce a Sh42 billion project aimed at transforming driver licensing, strengthening traffic law enforcement and improving road safety across the country.
In a public notice issued late last month, NTSA disclosed details of a strategic partnership with KCB Bank Kenya Limited and Pesa Print Limited for the design, supply, delivery, installation and maintenance of second-generation smart driving licences and associated digital enforcement services.
The project is expected to be financed entirely through private debt and equity over the first two to three years. The partnership will run for 21 years under a strategic model provided for in the Public Private Partnerships Act.
The eCitizen platform was introduced to streamline government services in Kenya, aiming to enhance efficiency and accessibility for citizens. However, technical issues have plagued the system since its inception, with multiple glitches reported over the years, affecting various services including driving licence renewals. The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) has faced criticism for these recurring problems, prompting calls for improvements and accountability in service delivery. In response, NTSA has initiated a significant project to upgrade its systems and enhance road safety measures.
