Kenya launches mobile phone fine payment system
26 September 2012
Kenya has introduced a new system that allows motorists to pay traffic fines by mobile phone. It will reduce queues and congestion at courts, authorities said.
Motorist arrested and charged with traffic offences will no longer be waiting for long hours to pay fines and bails imposed on them by the courts.
The Judiciary in conjunction with Safaricom has introduced a service that will help motorists pay fines through M-Pesa services.
The service, dubbed Faini Chap Chap Mpesa, will be launched today by Chief Justice Willy Mutunga at the Kibera Law Courts.
This is a relief to many who have been complaining that the system of paying fines for traffic offences is tedious and time wasting. Traffic courts at City Court, Kibera, makadara and Milimani are usually jammed by traffic offenders.
Approximately 500 people faces traffic offences daily.
The offence include speeding, alighting in undesignated areas, failing to fasten seat belts, overlapping and driving unroad worthy vehicles. The fines range between Sh1,000 to Sh10,000.
Normally a fine of Sh1,000 normally pay at the courts while those fined over Sh5,000 are required to pay in the Judiciary account and this can take hours to process.
