What You Need to Know
Motorists in Kenya are facing significant challenges renewing their drivers’ licenses through the eCitizen platform due to a persistent system hitch. The issue, which has lasted for nearly a month, prevents users from completing payments via M-Pesa, leaving many unable to renew their licenses and risking legal penalties. The situation has sparked frustration among drivers and criticism of the NTSA
Africa-Press – Kenya. Drivers across the country are unable to renew their licenses on the government’s eCitizen platform as a system hitch enters a month, inconveniencing hundreds of thousands.
The system fails to prompt M-Pesa for payment after inserting a code, leaving transactions stuck in “pending.”
The hitch started early last month, raising concerns over the government’s commitment to offer seamless services, even as it boasts of having increased services on eCitizen to over 22,000, from more than 100 ministries, counties, departments, and agencies.
“I have been trying to renew my licence since March 20. I am able to go through the entire process but unable to make payment. This means I cannot renew,” Annah Wangari, a Nairobi resident, said.
Ibrahim Mwita, a long-distance truck driver, has also not been able to renew his license.
“I have been on the road with an expired license. It is very frustrating and of course against the law, but who is to blame?” he posed.
What was once touted as a seamless end-to-end digital transition by the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) is increasingly becoming a source of frustration for motorists.
A digital taxi driver, James Wandati, fears that traffic police officers might take advantage of the situation to unfairly penalise many motorists.
Pauline Njenga, a school bus driver, said 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 NTSA offices to procure temporary relief. It is sad that the government is not giving any way forward yet thousands of people are stuck,” she said.
Matatu Owners Association president Albert Karakacha yesterday said the police is arresting drivers, yet it is a government system problem.
“NTSA should do their work. If the system is not working, they should write to the police and explain. Our drivers are being arrested all over,” Karakacha told the Star.
As motorists agonise, state agencies are trading blame, with NTSA pointing fingers at e-Citizen.
“I suspect the glitch is linked to system synchronisation delays between Safaricom’s M-Pesa platform and the eCitizen portal, where payment confirmations fail to relay in real time,” a senior official at NTSA told the Star,” but NTSA does not handle payments.”
This is not the first time motorists have encountered system downtime as they seek various government services.
A spot check by the Star 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, 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 February, NTSA announced a strategic partnership with KCB Bank Kenya and Pesa Print Limited.
This is 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, allowing citizens to access various services online, including drivers’ license renewals. However, this is not the first time users have faced challenges with the system. Previous glitches have raised concerns about the reliability of digital services provided by the government, prompting calls for improvements and accountability. In response to ongoing issues, the NTSA has announced a significant investment aimed at enhancing the licensing process and overall road safety in the country.
