NTSA employs new technology to monitor traffic violations along the Nairobi- Nakuru -Eldoret highway
A police officer instructs a driver to pull aside at Salga where National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) and Nation Police Service were conducting a joint crackdown on December 21,2025
Salgaa stretch along the Nakuru- Eldoret highway has for long been a notorious traffic choke point for motorist, especially during the festive season when heavy snarl ups often leave travelers stranded for hours
Traditionally, the busy Salgaa–Kibunja section turns chaotic as traffic volumes swell, making it one of the most dreaded stretches on the highway.
A police officer instructs a driver to pull aside at Salga where National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) and Nation Police Service were conducting a joint crackdown on December 21,2025
This festive season, however, the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) and the Kenya Police Service has mounted a coordinated multi-agency enforcement operation in a bid to ensure smooth flow of traffic.
The efforts were further intensified following a grid lock witnessed over the weekend, which left motorists stranded for hours.
A multiagency team at Salga where they were conducting car inspection on December 21,2025
The operation forms part of enhanced festive season road safety measures, aimed at easing congestion while enforcing compliance with traffic regulations along the notorious highway section.
Speaking during the exercise in Salgaa, Reuben Kemboi from the Directorate of Operations in the Police Service Headquarters says the joint enforcement is a deliberate and intentional strategy to ensure Kenyans travelling upcountry during the festive season reach their destinations safely.
“We are here to jointly conduct enforcement with NTSA during this festive season. We are aware that many Kenyans are travelling upcountry, and this is a very deliberate and intentional strategy to ensure that Kenyans reach their destinations safely,” Kemboi says.
Reuben Kemboi from the Directorate of Operations in the Police Service Headquarters on December 21,2025 say police will work joinly with NTSA to ensure drivers comply with NTSA regulations.
He notes that the operation had already detected by Monday at least 20 traffic offences in Nakuru County, with Salgaa identified as a key hotspot.
“We confirm that we have detected 20 offences in Nakuru. We are currently in Salgaa, which is a known hotspot. On Saturday we were in Naivasha, and we are going to camp on this road all the way to Bungoma to ensure motorists and members of the public comply with road safety standards as outlined by NTSA,” he explains.
According to police, the most common offence detected in Salgaa is defective speed limiters, particularly in public service vehicles (PSVs).
“As the National Police Service, this multi-agency approach is meant to ensure that during this festive season we achieve zero tolerance on matters of road casualties,” he says.
NTSA Deputy Director and Head of Safety and Compliance, Wilson Tuigong, says the authority is using a newly developed digital system capable of detecting multiple traffic violations in real time.
NTSA Deputy Director and Head of Safety and Compliance, Wilson Tuigong during an interview on December 21,2025 on how digital system at NTSA will improve inspection time
He notes that the system detects violations such as road service licenses, motor vehicle inspection validity, on-board speed limiters, insurance status and overall driver compliance.
According to Tuigong, the system is integrated with AKI and AAR databases, enabling officers to instantly verify insurance cover, driver licences, PSV badges and vehicle classes at the point of inspection.
“For instance, if a driver is operating a vehicle in the wrong class, once you capture the vehicle details and the driver’s ID, the system immediately detects whether that driver is authorized to drive that particular class,” he notes.
Officers also flag vehicles that are not roadworthy, lack valid inspection certificates or have defective speed limiters.
“A speed limiter must be functional, able to transmit data every five seconds and provide at least 72 hours of telemetry. We found vehicles where the limiter is installed but not functional. Such vehicles are prohibited from operating and will be taken to court. They must undergo compliance inspection before their number plates are returned,” he says.
NTSA Board Director Losilian Kalo Johnson says the operation is conducted across the country to ensure smooth and safe travel during the festive season.
NTSA Board Director Losilian Kalo Johnson on December 21, urgers drivers to adhere to road safety guidelines during the festivities.
Kalo notes that NTSA, in cooperation with agencies under the National Council for the Administration of Justice and other stakeholders, intensifies enforcement initiatives and public awareness during this period.
To prevent congestion, NTSA and police coordinate traffic diversions through alternative routes, including the Ravine–Mau Narok road, significantly easing pressure on the Salgaa–Kibunja section.