Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah has raised serious concerns over alleged malpractice at the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA), accusing the agency of colluding with driving schools to issue driving licenses irregularly. Speaking before the Senate Standing Committee on Roads and Transportation on Wednesday, November 19, Omtatah highlighted the risks this poses to public safety on Kenyan roads.
The Senator cited previous allegations, including a BBC exposé, where undercover journalists who had never driven successfully obtained licenses without taking the required tests. In one case, a driving school in Eastleigh offered a license for Ksh14,000, facilitated by a contact within NTSA headquarters, with bribes totaling Ksh8,000.
The Kenya Driving Schools Association (KDSA) has echoed these concerns, claiming some instructors and staff are part of a “racket” that allows people to buy licenses without proper training. Similarly, the Road Safety Association of Kenya has called for the revocation of all licenses issued over the past six years, claiming that up to 80% of them were given to untrained individuals.
Omtatah urged the Roads Committee to investigate the extent of corruption within NTSA and the measures in place to audit and regulate driving schools. He emphasized the need for accountability to ensure only properly trained drivers are licensed.
The Senator also highlighted broader road safety concerns, noting that major highways such as Nairobi-Mombasa, Malaba-Eldoret, and Eldoret-Malaba are poorly lit, lack proper signage, and have hazardous, unmarked bumps. He called on the government to report the steps being taken by the Ministry of Roads and NTSA to enhance road safety, reduce accidents, and protect both motorists and pedestrians.
Omtatah’s statements come amid growing calls for stricter oversight of driving schools and the NTSA, as Kenya continues to struggle with rising road accidents linked to poorly trained drivers.
