Nairobi, June 23 -- The government has changed the way it punishes motorists for a raft of minor road offences, in what will now see graduated fines imposed, with mandatory court appearances scrapped.

The changes took effect at the start of June, allowing motorists accused of certain violations to pay prescribed penalties, marking one of the biggest shifts in traffic enforcement in recent years.

The government says the system is intended to improve road safety through enhanced compliance with traffic laws, reduce case backlogs in traffic courts, and introduce greater transparency through digital enforcement and automated evidence collection.

What exactly has changed?

Under the new framework, motorists who commit certain minor traffic ...