The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) has proposed a new draft regulation that would allow private sector firms to offer vehicle inspection services, a role previously reserved for the agency.
The regulation, currently at the public participation stage, would also make it mandatory for vehicles to possess an inspection certificate to be considered roadworthy.
NTSA Chairman Aden Ali said that the new measure is aimed at reducing road accidents by ensuring that every vehicle on the road is roadworthy. “Without the inspection, we cannot know the status of the vehicles on the road,” Ali said at a public participation forum.
He also urged motorists to comply with road rules and to take their vehicles for inspection before putting them on the road, as it saves the lives of Kenyans.
Additionally, the draft regulation will criminalize the alteration of inspection certificates issued by NTSA or other inspection centers. Motorists who attempt to use an inspection certificate assigned to another vehicle would also contravene the proposed traffic rules.
The NTSA is automating its services to address these issues and ensure that the photographic images of the inspected vehicles are taken and stored in the system as proof of their status during the inspection.
Furthermore, the NTSA is developing a law to regulate the boda boda sector, requiring every operator to be in a registered Sacco, similar to public service vehicles.
“We want to put them in Sacco’s so that we can be able to tell which Sacco is doing a good job and those that are messing around,” said Ali.
The NTSA is expected to conduct public participation forums across the country to educate motorists on the inspection law.
The draft regulation warns that contravening its provisions would result in a fine not exceeding KES 1 million or imprisonment not exceeding six years or both, in addition to any administrative action the Authority is empowered to take.