The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) is rolling out smart driving licenses in the country. These new licenses will see Kenyans have an ID like card that recognizes you are a certified drivers. It has been touted as a game changer when fully implemented because, among other things, it will have your blood group, it will contain 20 points in total, which are deducted per traffic offences committed. When it reaches zero, you will not be allowed to drive.
If you intend on applying for one, this is what you should consider;
First, apply for this before your current one expires. It takes time before you can finally have it. If you wait until it expires, you may be forced to take a temporary one of one year. This costs sh650, which you can avoid incurring.
Secondly, it costs sh3,050 for it. By then, you will have filled your details, including blood type.
Third, you will need to register a TIMS account. You can log in through the NTSA website with its specific login or through e-citizen.
Fourth, once you open an account and pay the sh3,050, you will need to schedule a day and time when to go and get your finger prints and photo taken. It takes an average of three weeks to secure a date.
Fifth, on the day you secure time for finger prints and photo, note that you can go there any time of day. You do not have to go there at the specific time allocated. What matters most is the day. However, if you go in the morning, the queues are significant but they ease in the afternoon. You can literally be out of the place in five minutes if you go in the afternoon.
Sixth, you will be advised to wait for another three weeks before you can get it. Here, you will be advised to be checking your account, to establish whether it is ready for collection. In checking your account, a number will be generated to help you know whether it is ready. This number will be at the bottom of the card when printed. Do remember that when filling the TIMS form, you will be asked to determine the location you want to collect it. That is where you will go collect it, not anywhere else.
