Former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i has called for the immediate suspension of the National Transport and Safety Authority’s (NTSA) planned mandatory vehicle inspection program.
According to the former interior CS, the policy will impose an additional financial burden on millions of Kenyans without sufficient evidence that it will significantly improve road safety.
The Jubilee Party presidential candidate questioned the rationale behind the KSh2, 000 annual inspection fee for private vehicles older than four years and demanded greater transparency before the directive takes effect on July 1.
“Road safety is a legitimate national objective. Every Kenyan wants safer roads, fewer accidents, and vehicles that meet acceptable safety standards. However, public policy must be evidence-based, proportionate, transparent, and sensitive to the economic realities facing citizens,” Fred Matiang’i stated in a public notice dated June 28.
NTSA vehicle inspection fee suspension call follows a recent NTSA public notice announcing the rollout of mandatory vehicle inspections under the Traffic Act and the NTSA Act, 2012.
NTSA on Inspection Fees
According to the NTSA notice, all motor vehicle owners whose vehicles are more than four years old will be required to undergo annual inspections at NTSA inspection centers beginning July 1, 2026.
The inspections will be booked through the NTSA service portal available on the eCitizen platform.
In addition, the notice outlined ongoing inspections of school transport and commercial service vehicles to ensure compliance with safety standards.
Also Read: NTSA Mandatory Vehicles Inspection Fees And Rules for Privately Owned Cars, Motorcycles, and PSVs
Matiang’i Questions NTSA Inspection
The former Interior CS has argued that the proposed inspection regime has not been adequately justified and risks adding another financial obligation to motorists.
Citing the high fuel prices, multiple taxes and levies, rising insurance premiums, expensive spare parts, parking fees, and licensing charges, the presidential candidate has emphasized that the fees imposed by the NTSA are inconsiderable.
However, Matiang’i has maintained that road safety should not be reduced to the collection of inspection fees and has urged the government to halt the program pending public review.
Further, Matiang’i challenged NTSA and the government to publish detailed information supporting the directive.
Among the questions Fred raised is how many active private vehicles will be affected by the policy and how much revenue the government expects to collect annually from the inspections.
Additionally, the presidential candidate sought evidence demonstrating that the inspections will significantly improve road safety, while calling for data showing the proportion of road crashes caused by mechanical defects.
The former Cabinet Secretary further inquired whether NTSA has sufficient inspection capacity to efficiently handle the annual checks without causing inconvenience for motorists.
Also Read: NTSA Announces Mandatory Vehicle Inspections Starting July
Calls for Parliamentary Scrutiny
Matiang’i further described the proposed inspection regime as a governance and constitutional issue, arguing that public power must always be exercised reasonably, proportionately, and in the public interest.
He called on Parliament to immediately scrutinize the policy and require NTSA to table all supporting evidence, policy analyses, cost-benefit assessments, and implementation plans before the program is rolled out.
Matiang’i has called upon members of the public to demand transparency in the NTSA inspection program to avoid the high cost of living.
“We call upon all Kenyans to reject this policy in its current form and to demand a transparent, evidence-based, and affordable road safety framework that protects both lives and livelihoods,”Matiang’i advised.
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