The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) in Kenya has issued a warning to motorists regarding fake speed penalty SMS. The authority stated that it only issues speed violation notifications through its official SMS ID, NTSA. Motorists are advised not to respond to and to promptly report any suspicious messages from numbers purporting to belong to NTSA. This warning comes as NTSA launches real-time speed monitoring under the Msimu bila ajali, Usalama Barabarani campaign.
The Msimu bila ajali, Usalama Barabarani campaign was announced by NTSA on Tuesday, October 27, through its official account on X. The campaign is being run in collaboration with law enforcement agencies and combines driver and passenger sensitization with day and night safety checks on major transport corridors. The campaign aims to promote road safety and reduce accidents on Kenyan roads.
The real-time speed monitoring system allows authorities to detect speeding as it happens, unlike systems that review speed data after a journey. However, NTSA has not disclosed where the monitoring is active, when enforcement began, or what penalties apply to violations picked up this way. The authority has emphasized the importance of motorists linking their vehicles to a licensed speed limiter vendor.
As part of the campaign, checks are being conducted on speed limiters to verify that each device works and transmits data continuously to the Intelligent Road Safety Management System (IRSMS). Motorists who have not yet linked their vehicles to a licensed speed limiter vendor are required to log into their accounts through the upgraded IRSMS portal and do so.
The checks are weighted towards night hours, which NTSA describes as among the deadliest on Kenyan roads. The authority's speed limiter and SMS warning place new compliance and fraud-reporting duties on motorists, including checking that their limiter is linked and functioning, and treating unexpected penalty texts as a risk to be verified rather than a bill to be paid.
NTSA has not disclosed the number of fraudulent messages received or whether the warning follows specific incidents. The authority's warning is aimed at preventing motorists from falling victim to scams and ensuring that they are aware of the official channels through which speed violation notifications are issued.
The launch of the real-time speed monitoring system and the warning on fake speed penalty SMS are part of NTSA's efforts to enhance road safety in Kenya. Motorists are advised to be cautious and report any suspicious activity to the relevant authorities. The campaign is expected to continue, with NTSA working to reduce accidents and promote a culture of road safety.
Key points
- NTSA warns motorists about fake speed penalty SMS and launches real-time speed monitoring under the Msimu bila ajali, Usalama Barabarani campaign.
- The real-time speed monitoring system allows authorities to detect speeding as it happens.
- Motorists are required to link their vehicles to a licensed speed limiter vendor and report any suspicious SMS.
