Matiang'i launches digital number plates to curb crime, fraud

The government has launched a new generation of digital number plates with inbuilt security features that allow for tracing of cars ownership by law enforcement agencies.

The plates that comply with the amended Traffic Act of 2016 will bear additional features some of which that shall be visible physically and others only to security agencies for ease of tracing in the event they are involved in committing crime.

Interior CS Fred Matiang'I said the plates that shall be fixed to vehicles imported to the country at the point of entry will be synchronised with KRA systems to help rid cases of tax evasion in car selling business.

Matiang'I spoke while launching the new plates at the GSU Recce unit Headquarters in Ruiru, Nairobi where the plates are being produced.

"The work is being done by a multi agency unit of the security sector and is part of the reforms initiated by President Uhuru Kenyatta after the 2019 Dusit attack," he said. 

The capability allows us to change to the country's 4.8 million vehicles within to the new generation plates within 12 months but that has been extended to a period of 18 months.

"When the NTSA team calls on Kenyans to change the plates, let us obey and get it done within those 18 months," he added.

Transport CS James Macharia said the new plates will cover 12 category of vehicles in line with the legal notice 62 of 2016 and allow ease of monitoring vehicles coming into the country that ranks as a major transit hub in the region.

"They form a basis for tracking and monitoring vehicles in the country which have risen significantly from 3.2M million last year to 4.8 million this year," said Mucheru.

Matiang'i was also accompanied by CS Joseph Mucheru (ICT) and  NTSA Director General George Njao amongst other senior security officials.