Why Kenyans are fearing the new driving licenses

President Uhuru Kenyatta is expected to launch the new digital driving licences before the August 8 elections after The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) announced 100,000 of the smart cards have been made in readiness for distribution to motorists.The NTSA, which is progressively digitising its operations, has acquired 500 card readers to decode user information and traffic offences history. The information will be recorded in a chip that is embedded in the plastic card.Kenyans, however, are a bit resistant on getting the new licences after learning that it will document their history which will make it easy to track their offenses.“The licences will bear details of the holders, including their photos. The chip stores driving histories and serves as a payment wallet connected to the Judiciary,” NTSA’s head of ICT, Fernando Wangila, told the Business Daily in an interview.“Upon its launch later this month, the rollout will be progressively escalated to ensure that we have more card readers on the roads and enough licences printed and ready to meet demand for new applications as well as renewals.”According to Wangila, motorist’s card will be loaded with 20 points that will be deducted every time he/she commits an offense.“Bad behavior like overlapping will see drivers lose a single point from their accounts over and above getting fined. A driver will have a week or so to recover this “lost” point if he or she doesn’t commit other offences.“Serious offences like drunk driving and speeding will result in deductions of more than 10 points, fines and a raft of other disciplinary measures that could see one lose their licence for life. The NTSA will also share the information on rogue drivers with insurance firms, a move that could see such drivers’ premiums rise as they will be deemed to be risky clients,” explained Businessdaily.The system is used in the West in fighting rogue drivers, a thing that traffic police have been unable to control in Kenya.