Transport

Lack of documents exposes NTSA car inspection centres

njao

National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) Director General George Njao. PHOTO | FRANCIS NDERITU | NMG

Kenya’s transport agency has no ownership documents for its motor vehicle inspection centres, exposing the properties to encroachment.

The National Transport Safety Authority (NTSA) undertakes motor vehicle inspections in 17 centres spread across the country, which were handed over by the Kenya Police Service in December 2013.

It took over the Motor Vehicle Inspection Units from the Traffic Police department following amendments to the Traffic Act, 2012.

The 17 units are located in prime locations in Mombasa, Voi, Thika, Nyeri, Nyahururu, Nakuru, Meru, Machakos, Kitale, Kisumu, Kisii, Kericho, Eldoret, Kakamega, Garissa, Embu and Nairobi’s Industrial area.

A report tabled in Parliament reveals that NTSA was yet to obtain ownership documents for the land used as the inspection centres, nearly 12 years after taking them over.

“Further, no documentary evidence was provided for audit review of notification to the national Treasury regarding the transfer of the inspection centres as required under regulation 143(5) of the Public Finance Management (National Government) regulations, 2015,” says the report.

Parliament has directed the NTSA to ensure the acquisition of ownership documents for the authority land within the 2022/23 financial year.

“It was curious that since the establishment of NTSA in 2012, the ownership status of its assets has not been streamlined to date,” the National Assembly’s Public Investments Committee (PIC) states in a report MPs adopted before the House adjourned indefinitely to pave way for next weeks’ General Election.

George Njao, the NTSA director general defended the authority arguing it was in the process of obtaining ownership documents.

“The Cabinet Secretary for Interior and Coordination of National government has contacted the Cabinet Secretary for Lands and the process of titling the parcels is in progress,” Mr Njao said in submission to PIC.

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