National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) and Traffic Police officers during a crackdown on Passenger Service Vehicles (PSV) flouting road safety rules along Kibarani in Mombasa. PHOTO | KEVIN ODIT | NMG
The transport agency wants Parliament to grant it a free hand to determine the timeline for inspection of motor vehicles following a proposed law that mandates it to examine cars every four years.
The parliamentary Transport Committee has backed the National Transport Safety Authority’s (NTSA) proposals to amend the Traffic (Amendment) Bill 2021.
The NTSA wants the law changed to allow it to inspect every vehicle that is more than four years from the date of registration at its motion.
Currently, the law provides that every car more than four years old from the recorded date of manufacture shall be subjected to inspection by the Motor Vehicle Inspection Unit.
“Every vehicle more than four years from the date of manufacture shall be subjected to inspection at intervals to be determined by the authority,” the NTSA told Parliament.
In a report on the Traffic (Amendment) Bill 2021, the committee said the proposed changes by the NTSA would remove the ambiguity of the vehicle to be inspected.
“The authority was in support of the amendment to section 44 of the Principal Act stating that it will allow the ministry of Transport and the authority to introduce the use of prescribed limits and develop rules and regulations containing specific limits,” David Pkosing, who chairs the committee, said in a report on the Bill.
The NTSA inspects a motorcycle at Sh1,300, three-wheelers and vehicles up to 3,000cc (Sh2,600) while vehicles more than 3000cc cost Sh3,900.
Trucks of up to five tonnes cost Sh2,000 while those of more than five tonnes and heavy commercial vehicles pay Sh4,600 for inspections.
Private car owners pay between Sh2,000-Sh3,500 for the check-up, depending on the vehicle's engine capacity.
Previously, the vehicle inspection fee was capped at Sh1,000 for all categories of vehicles, irrespective of type, size and class.
The proposed law further gives the NTSA the power to hire private entities to conduct motor vehicle inspections on its behalf.
“An inspection under subsection…shall be conducted by the authority or persons authorised in writing by the authority,” states the Bill sponsored by Tiaty MP William Kamket.
There are only 17 Motor Vehicle Inspection Units in Kenya and the changes in the Traffic Act will see the NTSA designate persons or firms to conduct inspections on its behalf.
Last May, the NTSA said it would commence inspecting vehicles that are more than four years old from the date of manufacture on Kenyan roads.
The agency was to inspect all vehicles regardless of ownership in line with Section 16 (2) of the Traffic Act.
In 2019, NTSA issued tough rules on the motor vehicle inspection regulations to tame road carnage.
