Traffic police confiscate number plates from unroadworthy vehicles

BY MICHAEL OLLINGA

Eldoret, Kenya: Police and vehicle inspectors in Eldoret on Friday started confiscating number plates from vehicles that had not complied with the basic traffic requirements.

The exercise led by Uasin Gishu County Traffic Commandant Humphrey Abayi was aimed at ensuring that individuals whose vehicles had been nabbed in a continuing crackdown will only resume operation after complying with laid down requisites.

On Friday alone, the inspectors detached number plates from over 15 vehicles most of them being Passenger Serving Vehicles (PSVs), that did not have efficient breaking systems, speed governors, fitted safety belts and basic lighting systems.

Lazarus Wambua Deputy OCPD Eldoret West said they had taken the initiative to detach the car registration numbers to avoid car owners from returning the vehicles to the roads before correcting the faults they were found with.

“Most of these vehicles are in a pathetic state and pose a huge danger to all road users, most of the times we tell the owners to go and comply with basic operation requisites they fail to do so,” he said.

He added that: “We are removing the number plates and giving the owners time to go and correct all the identified faults and the licenses will only be returned to them after re-inspection and approval that they have fully complied.”

Wambua made it clear that the nabbing of un-road worthy vehicles has not been heightened by the current requirement of new digital speed governors and that it is a normal routine which will not stop any sooner.

“We are not targeting individuals as alleged by matatu operators but following the traffic regulations as stated in the constitution.

Wambua called on vehicle owners to take the exercise from a positive note of reducing road carnage across the country and not as victimization.

Daniel Kerung’o, treasurer Langas Matatu SACCO which has over 70 town service vehicles revealed that the current crackdown is on the basis of speed governors and has dearly cost them as most of their vehicles have been impounded.

“We are very ready to comply with the new regulation which most of us had not achieved as we have already ordered for speed governors which have not arrived,” he stated.

He said that the problem is with the importers of the gadgets and not them, asking the government to give them more time to comply with the rules.

Kerung’o also raised concern with the inflated prices of the gadgets which are currently retailing at between Sh50,000 and Sh60,000 unlike initially when they were purchasing them at sh 30,000.