The Ministry of Transport has announced it will conduct nationwide public awareness campaigns before rolling out the proposed mandatory annual inspection of all vehicles.

🇰🇪 Breaking It Down

Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir said the government is engaging the relevant stakeholders to ensure the new regulations are practical, effective and well understood by motorists before implementation.

Appearing before the National Assembly's Committee on Delegated Legislation in Mombasa on Friday, May 15, Chirchir assured MPs that the Ministry had noted concerns raised regarding the proposed Traffic (Motor Vehicle Inspection) Rules of 2026.

“We have taken note of all your sentiments and input. We will engage this Committee to ensure the regulations are practical and effective,” Chirchir told MPs.

📌 What You Need to Know

Under the proposed regulations by the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA), private vehicles older than four years will now be subjected to mandatory annual inspections.

The proposals also seek to change the current vehicle inspection cycle from once every two years to annual inspections as part of efforts to improve road safety and detect vehicle defects earlier.

According to the NTSA, commercial service vehicles continue to contribute significantly to serious road accidents due to driver fatigue, poor maintenance, overloading, weak enforcement and failure to adopt modern safety technologies.

The Committee, chaired by MP Samuel Chepkonga, reviewed several proposed traffic regulations, including the Traffic (Commercial Service Vehicle) Rules, 2026, the Traffic (School Transport) Rules, 2026, the Traffic (Motor Vehicle Inspection) Rules, 2026 and the Traffic (Drink Driving) Regulations, 2026.

During the session, the legislators questioned whether the government has enough capacity to conduct inspections across all 47 counties.

Committee Vice Chairperson Robert Gichimu asked whether the M inistry would require a grace period to operationalise inspection centres nationwide fully.

📰 Source: Kenyans.co.ke