Vehicles that have been in Kenya for more than four years since their date of manufacture will have to undergo mandatory inspection if a new bill tabled before parliament sails through.
The Traffic Amendment Bill if passed will empower the National Transport Safety Authority (NTSA) to conduct the inspection and determine the intervals and frequency at which the vehicles will be inspected.
“Every vehicle that has been operated for a period exceeding four years from the recorded date of manufacture shall be subjected to inspection at intervals to be determined by the authority (NTSA),” reads part of the Bill sponsored by Tiaty MP William Kamket.
The bill also gives authority to NTSA to hire other private vehicle inspection entities to conduct inspections on its behalf as there are only 17 vehicle inspection firms currently operational in the country.
“An inspection under subsection…shall be conducted by the authority or persons authorized in writing by the authority,” reads the bill.
Currently, NTSA inspects vehicles at different rates depending on the type of the vehicle and the engine capacity. Private car owners pay between Sh2,000 to Sh3,500 for inspection while motorcycles and auto-rickshaws go for Sh. 1, 300. Trucks of up to five tones trucks are charged Sh. 2,000 and heavy commercial vehicles pay Sh4,600 for inspections. Previously, all motor vehicles had a standard rate of Sh1,000 irrespective of the engine capacity, type and class.
The tough rules and regulations are meant to tame road carnage associated with unroadworthy vehicles which were first introduced in 2019 by the transport authority
