Dealers question how unregistered cars left Mombasa port
Used cars at a yard in Mombasa. National Transport and Safety Authority directed dealers to register all unlisted vehicles in their showrooms and yards by December 16, 2024.
A State directive to car dealers to register all unlisted vehicles in their showrooms and yards by Monday next week has put the spotlight on how the units left the port of Mombasa without the necessary clearance.
The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) on Saturday gave dealers a week to comply, failing which the vehicles would be impounded and the dealers fined.
But dealers are questioning the possibility of rogue officials colluding with some importers to remove their vehicles unprocedurally.
“It is very important that NTSA and the Customs department explains to the public how such an illegality occurred, as releasing the unregistered vehicles from the port is against the law,” said Charles Munyori, the secretary-general of the Kenya Auto Bazaar Association.
“Who were the facilitators? It is no secret that corruption is involved. The reason why dealers want to have the vehicles unregistered is because most buyers prefer the latest number plate. The government should see this as an opportunity to get more revenue.”
Mr Munyori added that the NTSA could introduce a special fee that allows dealers to register their vehicles at a later date to respond to customers' quest for the latest registration plates.
Imported vehicles leaving the port of Mombasa must be cleared from the Container Freight Station (CFS). CFSs are licensed by the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA).
In the past, the taxman has raised concerns about rogue CFS operators and clearing agents at the port, highlighting the need for continued scrutiny of the players.
Four years ago, the KRA suspended the registration of new CFS and clearing agents, saying the freeze was aimed at weeding out rogue operators blamed for a range of malpractices in the movement of imported goods out the port of Mombasa.
Use of unregistered vehicles or those with fake number plates has been linked to crimes like terrorism and kidnappings. Dealers also reckon that a high preference by Kenyans for the latest number plates also contributes to the delays in affixing the number plates.
The Traffic Act bars the use of unregistered vehicles and those without number plates on Kenyan roads, adding that only the Transport Cabinet Secretary can exempt a vehicle from registration.
The Act states that any person found in breach of the vehicle registration requirements is liable to a fine not exceeding Sh300,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding twelve months or both.
NTSA is the State agency tasked with registering vehicles. General number plates cost Sh2,050, while the preferred or special ones go for Sh30,000. Customised number plates cost Sh1 million.
Besides lack of the plates, other motorists use unregistered vehicles with the KD (Kenya Dealers) plates. The KD plates are temporary and can only be used between 6am and 6pm.
The NTSA directive to have all vehicles registered by Monday next week comes at a time when the number of registrations has dropped significantly between the start of the year and September.
Official data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics shows that some 47,052 vehicles (excluding motorcycles and three-wheelers) were registered between January and September this year, a drop of 57 percent from the 82,590 registered in the same period last year.
