The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) was on Wednesday, April 19, directed to launch a crackdown on spare part dealers following a spike in road accidents.
Transport Cabinet Secretary (CS) Kipchumba Murkomen directed NTSA to lead a multi-agency team to check the proliferation of substandard products in the automotive industry.
He made the declaration following a comprehensive crash investigations report submitted to him.
"It has been noted that most of the crashes were caused by tyre burst, brake failure while on high speed, and crashing into vehicles with substandard retroreflective strips thus affecting visibility in the road," Murkomen stated.
The Anti-Counterfeit Authority, Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS), and National Police Service were named as part of the multi-agency team helping the agency implement the directive.
Murkomen further declared a clampdown on motor vehicle assemblers and fabricators citing the deteriorated levels of safety of passenger service vehicles.
"I direct the immediate enforcement of anti-rolling bars, installation of seatbelts, and proper anchorage of seats on all PSVs including matatus, omnibuses, and buses," the statement read in part.
In line with this, the NTSA was instructed, through the motor vehicle inspection unit, to validate and take necessary action against non-compliant vehicles.
Moreover, all long-distance PSVs were ordered to subscribe to an accident and emergency system immediately.
The CS ordered all owners with expired inspection certificates to present their vehicles to NTSA centres nearest to them for a fresh assessment of their roadworthiness within 30 days.
In addition, all PSV drivers and commercial vehicle drivers will be subjected to a mandatory driver retest before the renewal of their licenses.
Drivers were subjected to a mandatory medical fitness test by a qualified medical practitioner including an eye and hearing test.
