NTSA cautions Kenyans over unregistered number plates
By Hilary KimuyuThe National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) has cautioned motorists against using unregistered number plates not issued by the authority.
NTSA said in a statement that there has been a widespread violation of Rule 5(a) of the Traffic (Registration Plates) Rules 2016 as evidenced by the large number of vehicles using registration plates not issued by the Authority.
“Rule 5(a) of the Traffic (Registration Plates) Rules 2016 provides that a person shall not manufacture or sell a reflective registration plate or third registration plate licences without the written consent of the Authority,” it said.
The authority said it has observed that such registration plates are not of the prescribed design contrary to section 12(1) of the Traffic Act, which provides that “No motor vehicle or trailer registered under this Act or driven under the authority of a general dealer’s licence shall be used on a road unless there is a fixed thereto in the prescribed manner the prescribed number of identification plates of the prescribed design and colour on which is inscribed the identification mark of vehicle or of the general dealer’s licence”.
At the same time, NTSA said it had also noted that newly registered motorcycles are using printed papers indicating the registration numbers as opposed to the prescribed registration plate as required by section 12(1) of the Traffic Act.
Risk of prosecution
NTSA said those vehicles are operating illegally and that the owners will face the full force of the law.
“Through this notice, motor vehicle and motorcycle owners are advised, with immediate effect, to cease use of unauthorised registration plates, failing which will result in prosecution.”
Last year, police arrested 19 employees of NTSA and unmasked a syndicate that had been cloning number plates and fraudulently registering cars for sale.
NTSA said the fraudulent production and usage of motor vehicle number plates is not only a major security threat but also a cause of double or even multiple insurance of vehicles and loss of massive revenue by underwriters and the government through tax evasion.
Interior Secretary Fred Matiang’i called for investigations after it emerged that some NTSA staff had colluded with Kenya Revenue Authority officials and car dealers to clone car number plates.
A car with duplicated plates was used in the DusitD2 terror attack in January last year.