NTSA resumes driving lessons after court order

The High Court has directed the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) to reopen its portal to enable users and driving schools to obtain and renew licences. NTSA in February 2022 shut down its portal which implements the Traffic Driving School Instructor and License Rules 2020 following a petition by the Kenya Driving Schools Association to quash the rules, alleging a lack of public participation. The High Court earlier this year halted licensing of driving schools, driving school instructors and renewal of licenses for the latter. Applications for provisional driving licenses, test booking, and testing for driving school instructors and trainee drivers were also suspended. In a statement, NTSA now says all the services that had been halted are now back on the portal. In recognition of the efforts of the Ministry of Transport, Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development and Public Works and the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) in complying with the ruling and public interest, the court on April 25, 2022, lifted the suspension of the implementation of the Rules as the process of laying the Rules before the whole Houses of Parliament continues,” the statement read in part. “The Ministry and the Authority take this opportunity to inform the public of the resumption of the aforementioned services.” NTSA said that in compliance with the court ruling, the Ministry and the Authority re-transmitted the rules to Parliament and further presented them to the Delegated Legislation Committee of both houses of Parliament as required. Last week, NTSA was directed to reopen its portal to enable users and driving schools to obtain and renew licences. “That pending the hearing and determination of this application, an order directing the NTSA to unconditionally open portals to enable the Kenya Driving Schools Association and other users and general public access and obtain licences for driving schools renewal of driving licenses…” justice Anthony Mrima said. He also directed the Ministry of Transport and NTSA to publicise the reopening of the portal in the local dailies. The agency shut down the portal which implements the Traffic Driving School Instructor and License Rules 2020 following a petition by the Kenya Driving Schools Association, which sought to quash the rules, alleging lack of public participation. The shutdown also meant that driving schools could not renew licenses, could not obtain permits for driving school instructors, and could not be issued with Provisional Driving License application for driver trainees and book tests for instructors.