Jubilee Deputy Party Leader Fred Matiang’i has criticised the government’s plan to introduce mandatory annual inspections for private vehicles older than four years, arguing that the proposal would impose an additional financial burden on motorists already struggling with the rising cost of living.
In a statement issued on Sunday, June 28, Matiang’i said vehicle owners are already facing high fuel prices, multiple taxes and levies, increasing insurance premiums, costly spare parts, parking charges and licensing fees.
He argued that introducing another compulsory annual payment without sufficient justification would further strain households and businesses.
Jubilee Deputy Party Leader Fred Matiang’i. Photo: Courtesy.
The former Interior Cabinet Secretary called on the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) to disclose how many active private vehicles would be affected by the proposed directive and the amount of revenue the government expects to generate annually from the inspections.
Matiang’i also challenged the authority to provide evidence showing that mandatory annual inspections for vehicles older than four years would significantly reduce road accidents.
He questioned the proportion of road crashes caused by mechanical defects compared to those resulting from human error, poor road design and traffic congestion.
Additionally, he sought clarification on whether NTSA has adequate inspection capacity to efficiently handle millions of vehicles without causing delays or creating opportunities for corruption.
He further asked the authority to explain the safeguards it has put in place to prevent the inspection programme from becoming a source of corruption and harassment.
Matiang’i urged Parliament to thoroughly scrutinise the proposal and require NTSA to table all supporting evidence before implementation.
He maintained that if the government is committed to improving road safety, it should prioritise addressing the leading causes of accidents, including reckless driving, speeding, drunk driving, poor road design, inadequate road maintenance, weak enforcement of existing traffic laws and traffic congestion.
He argued that vehicle condition is only one aspect of a broader road safety strategy and called on Kenyans to reject the proposed policy in favour of a transparent, evidence-based and affordable framework.
