NTSA Unveils System to Curb Car Theft Syndicates

A section of the Thika Superhighway at Allsops
A section of the Thika Superhighway at Allsops
Simon Kiragu

In July 2020, two vehicles sharing the same number plate sparked a debate online, with Kenyans raising questions on the coincidence and at the same time poking holes at the National Transport and Safety Authority.

NTSA has always been on the spotlight in incidents where car number plates are cloned with its officials suspected to be the brains behind various incidents. 

In January 2019, police arrested 19 NTSA employees in an operation set out to curb the duplicating ring. One car that had a duplicate number was used to stage the dusitD2 terror attack in the same month.

This forced Interior CS Fred Matiang'i to order investigations into the agency. NTSA thus hatched a new system to curb the car theft syndicate

A section of the Thika Superhighway at Survey Underpass
A section of the Thika Superhighway at Survey Underpass
Kenyans.co.ke
Simon Kiragu

The Transport Integrated Management System will compel motor vehicle insurance details to be fed real-time to the agency after NTSA signed a pact with the  Insurance Regulatory Authority (IRA).

It will also enable insurance companies with a platform to prove and cross-check vehicle ownership. 

Through the system, only one vehicle insurance policy will be matched with a vehicle and linked to digital stickers. These stickers will ease vehicle verification by the agency.

Vehicle insurance is mandatory in Kenya, however, currently, each insurer holds separate data as a vehicle can have multiple insurance policies.

Over 14 insurance companies were incorporated into the system.  

“The data exchange will play a critical role in supporting enforcement activities to reduce motor vehicle theft and enable easy tracking of unregistered motor vehicles on the road," NTSA  Director-General George Njao stated. 

The system will also aid prevent loss of revenue and avert insecurity. 

A crowd outside the National Transport and Safety Authority when detectives raided the premises on January 30, 2019
Kenya seek services at the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) on January 30, 2019
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