NTSA Takes Action After Nationwide Error on Driving Licences

Photo collage between police officers controlling traffic flow and an error captured on NTSA portal on Friday December 2, 2022
Photo collage between police officers controlling traffic flow and an error captured on the NTSA portal on Friday, December 2, 2022.
Ma3Route

National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) resolved an error where their system showed that all valid driving licences had expired.

NTSA, through a statement dated Friday, December 2, indicated that the error, which had raised a nationwide uproar, was due to a technical issue.

The error affected the licence verification and even the renewal process on NTSA's Transport Integrated Management System (TIMS).

"Is there a problem with your system? all driving licence verification are reading expired," a social media user asked NTSA.

Driving licence error raised by a driver on Friday December 2, 2022
Driving licence error raised by a driver on Friday, December 2, 2022.
Ma3Route

"We are working to resolve the technical issue. We apologise for the inconvenience caused," the transport authority responded to the aggrieved motorists.

However, NTSA resolved the issue minutes later, allowing motorists to renew their driving licences and access other services on their online portal

"The issue has been resolved. Kindly proceed with the application," NTSA responded to Gachuhi Kangara on Twitter.

Motorists had expressed worry as driving without or with an expired licence is considered a traffic offence. 

To avert future technical issues, the regulator insisted that they had set up mechanisms to streamline the sector in the country.

In April 2021, NTSA revamped the TIMS platform allowing users to track service application status online at their comfort.

Rehabilitation and system upgrades even reduced the processing time and introduced more upgraded services for motorists. 

"Revamped TIMS platform will be faster, more integrated, simpler and easier to use, optimized, secure and with more reporting capabilities," the agency stated.

"The turn-around time for service processing has also been enhanced and we expect to serve clients within shorter periods as compared to the past where an application verification and approval would take weeks," NTSA noted.

An elevated view of motorists along Mombasa Road on Thursday, October 14, 2019.
An elevated view of motorists along Mombasa Road on Thursday, October 14, 2019.
Simon Kiragu
Kenyans.co.ke