The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) on Saturday, April 27 explained why its officers removed number plates from vehicles.
In response to queries by Kenyans, NTSA noted that the number plates are usually removed from vehicles which are deemed to be mechanically unsound.
Further, the Authority explained that there were various checks done on vehicles to determine if they were safe to be on the road.
According to NTSA, the check is usually done by experts who then give the green light for the number plates to be removed.
"How do you ascertain that a vehicle is not mechanically sound without having ridden in it?" Janabi Sativa questioned NTSA.
"We only remove the plates if the vehicle is not mechanically sound. We have mechanical engineers who are mandated to undertake the inspection to ascertain that," NTSA responded.
Additionally, the removal of number plates from a vehicle prevents motorists from using the vehicles until the issues are fixed.
According to the Traffic Act Cap 403, no vehicle can operate on the roads without having a number plate.
"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 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 the vehicle or of the general dealer’s licence," reads the Act in part.
According to the law, a motorist who drives a vehicle without number plates faces four demerit points. The points are usually used in the suspension of a Driver's Licence (DL).
Notably, NTSA has been undertaking a crackdown on various roads in the country alongside traffic police. During the recent exercise, officers have been photographed removing number plates from some vehicles.
The recent enforcement was informed by the rising cases of accidents in the country.
