The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) has directed all motor vehicle dealers and showroom operators to register their vehicles on the NTSA portal in the next 14 days.
NTSA Director General George Njao warned on Friday, December 7, that failure to comply with the above order would result in the revocation of the dealer’s operating license.
Consequently, Njao revealed that the Authority would also proceed to impound all the vehicles not registered on the NTSA portal upon expiry of the 14-day timeline.
Njao disclosed that the orders were informed by the recent license validation exercise conducted by NTSA officials and the Directorate of Immigration Department. According to Njao, the Authority realised that several unregistered vehicles were being held by dealers in various parts of the country.
Vehicles at a yard at the Port of Mombasa (left) and Kenyans seeking services from NTSA offices in Nairobi.
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KPA / NTSA
“Following the completion of the initiative, the Authority notes that several motor vehicle dealers are holding unregistered motor vehicles in their premises (showrooms and yards), contrary to the requirements of the Traffic Act, Cap 403,” Njao stated.
The Authority further directed law enforcement agencies to impound vehicles that are currently operating without valid driving licenses and those using the Kenya Dealer Number Plates against the law.
NTSA’s directive followed the recently completed online license validation exercise conducted by a multi-agency team. On October 17, the Authority announced the validation exercise would kick off on November 11 and end on November 22.
In the notice, NTSA urged motor vehicle owners to comply with the directive under Section 23(1) of the Traffic Act. According to the Authority, all motorists were expected to submit the details of their licenses by November 6.
“Through this public notice, the Authority informs all tow truck owners, motor vehicle dealers, both new and secondhand, and repairers of motor vehicles of a multi-agency license revalidation exercise scheduled from November 11 and November 22, 2024,” read part of the NTSA notice.
“All operators are therefore directed to complete and submit an online license revalidation form available on the NTSA Website (www.ntsa.go.ke) on or before Wednesday, November 6, 2024,” NTSA added.
The latest announcement also comes against the backdrop of Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo’s directive, ordering the crackdown on all unroadworthy vehicles.
While addressing the press on Wednesday, December 4, Omollo directed the National Police Service to work jointly with NTSA officials and ensure compliance with traffic rules.
Principal Secretary, State Department for Internal Security and National Administration Raymond Omollo giving an address during the launch of the Border Security and Control Curriculum at the Kenya School of Government (KSG) Lower Kabete, Nairobi. December 18, 2023.
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Raymond Omollo