Motorists across Kenya are facing growing frustration after a prolonged system failure on the government’s digital platform has made it impossible to renew driving licences.
The issue affects users of the eCitizen portal, where payments fail to complete after users input their codes. Instead of prompting M-Pesa for payment, transactions remain stuck in a “pending” state.
The glitch reportedly began early last month and has since inconvenienced hundreds of thousands of drivers who rely on digital renewal services.
Motorists Forced to Drive with Expired Licences
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Many drivers say they have completed all required steps but cannot finalize payments.
A Nairobi motorist explained she has been trying since March 20 without success, leaving her unable to renew her licence despite completing the process.
Long-distance truck drivers are also affected, with some admitting they are still on the road with expired documents due to lack of alternatives.
Digital taxi drivers warn that the situation could expose motorists to enforcement penalties, even though the issue stems from a government system failure.
Drivers Visiting NTSA Offices for Temporary Letters
Some motorists have resorted to physically visiting offices of the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) to obtain temporary letters confirming their licences are being processed.
School bus operators and public service vehicle drivers say this workaround is time-consuming and costly, especially for those outside major towns.
Matatu Sector Raises Alarm
The head of the Matatu Owners Association says drivers are being arrested despite the failure originating from a government platform. Industry representatives are urging authorities to formally notify police officers to avoid penalizing motorists unfairly.
Agencies Trade Blame
Officials suggest the problem may involve synchronization delays between payment systems and the eCitizen portal. One source indicated the issue could be linked to communication failures between the platform and Safaricom’s payment infrastructure.
However, NTSA maintains that payment processing is handled through eCitizen and not directly by the agency.
Repeated System Failures
This is not the first disruption affecting motorists. Since January, several outages have reportedly delayed licence processing, with some drivers still waiting months after making payments.
A major service interruption last year also halted NTSA services nationwide, highlighting persistent challenges in the country’s digital transition.
Government Plans Smart Licence Upgrade
In response to recurring issues, NTSA recently announced a Sh42 billion modernization project aimed at upgrading driver licensing and strengthening digital enforcement.
The initiative involves a partnership between NTSA, KCB Bank Kenya, and Pesa Print Limited. The program will introduce second-generation smart driving licences and new digital enforcement systems.
The project will be financed through private investment and implemented under a 21-year public-private partnership model.
Source: This article first appeard on the-star.co.ke
