Nairobi, May 28 -- Motorists will have the option of declining to pay instant traffic fines and instead challenge the penalties in court under revised guidelines issued by the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA), marking a major shift in the rollout of the controversial automated traffic enforcement system.

The revised framework follows criticism from civil society groups, lawyers and motorists who argued that the digital penalties regime violated constitutional protections on fair hearing, criminal justice and data privacy.

Under the new framework, motorists accused of minor traffic offences will no longer be compelled to immediately settle penalties generated by the automated system. Instead, they may either admit liability...