Vehicles above four years in Kenya set for mandatory inspections

Motorists will have their vehicles subjected to mandatory inspection at a time to be determined by the transportation sector regulator, four years from the manufacture date if MPs pass proposed changes to the law.

The Traffic (Amendment) Bill seeks to empower the National Transport Safety Authority (NTSA) to determine the intervals within which cars exceeding four years from the date of manufacture will be inspected.

© Getty NAIROBI, KENYA - 2021/03/29: A Nairobi County traffic Marshall controls traffic along Moi avenue as motorist rush home to beat 8pm - 4am curfew. On Friday, March 26th, President Uhuru Kenyatta announced a partial lockdown and instituted new curfew measures to start from 8pm to 4am. The new measures to curb the spread of COVID-19 include placing Nairobi, Nakuru, Kiambu and Machakos counties under partial lockdown as well as closing restaurants, bars and schools nationwide amid a third wave of COVID-19 across the country. (Photo by Boniface Muthoni/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

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 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),” the Bill states.

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 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.T he 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.