The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has arrested a National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) officer over allegations of demanding a Ksh18,000 bribe to facilitate the processing of a driving licence.
The officer was arrested on Wednesday following a complaint by a matatu driver who alleged that he had been asked to pay the money to obtain the licence.
According to the EACC, the officer was arrested within the NTSA headquarters while receiving Ksh8,000, which was part of the alleged bribe.
“The officer was arrested on Wednesday following investigations into a complaint by a matatu driver who alleged that the suspect had demanded Ksh18,000 to facilitate the issuance of the licence,” the commission confirmed.
An image of the EACC's Integrity Centre and an inset of an exhibit recovered from two impersonators on September 24, 2026.
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EACC
The suspect was taken to the Integrity Centre for processing before being released on a cash bail of Ksh50,000 as investigations continue.
“The commission reiterates its commitment to tackling bribery at service delivery points, thereby restoring public trust and improving access to quality services for all citizens,” the EACC warned following the arrest.
NTSA is among the public service institutions that have featured in bribery and corruption allegations, with previous surveys and investigations raising concerns about payments demanded from motorists and irregularities in vehicle registration.
A Kenya National Gender and Corruption Survey 2025 released last year ranked NTSA officers among public officials who received bribes, with the average payment reported at Ksh3,868.
In October last year, protests were held outside NTSA headquarters over concerns about road safety and alleged corruption in the transport sector.
The demonstrations were led by the Road Safety Association of Kenya, which called for action against officials it accused of facilitating corruption.
In a separate case in October 2023, Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) detectives arrested 11 people suspected of involvement in fraudulent motor vehicle registrations through NTSA's Transport Integrated Management System (TIMS).
The investigation followed a system audit that reportedly uncovered irregular vehicle registrations, including 47 vehicles whose chassis details had allegedly been changed and 54 others fraudulently added to the system in March and April of that year.
A silhouette of a person offering a bribe
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