Car importers decry shortage of number plates

The Kenya Car Importers Association (KCIA) now wants the National Transport and Safety Authority, (NTSA), to revert to the old system of clearing vehicles saying they have incurred losses as a result of failure to register cars in good time.

 According to the association’s national chairman Peter Otieno, a number of their clients have had to wait more than a month to get their vehicles after they land at the port of Mombasa. 

Otieno adds the problem has also been compounded by the shortage of number plates and the latest regulations that require all cars to have their number plates before they leave the port of Mombasa or any Container Freight Station, (CFS), for a specific showroom.

 “It is a total failure due to the fact that our members are not getting services better. Our previous system which was much friendly and the registration of our motor vehicles could be done as fast as possible even though this issue of numbers has been a problem,” Otieno said.

He added: “If this system is not working, let them go back to the old system. Let them allow us to remove the vehicles without numbers because they have never demonstrated that the vehicles that have been removed without numbers to the CFSS are the vehicles that are being used in crime.”

Otieno claims that their negotiations with NTSA leaders are yet to bear fruit and if not addressed, they will lead to congestion in a number of CFSs that deal with vehicles.

He underscores that the move would raise the country’s import duty and the Kenya Revenue Authority would be able to collect more in terms of taxes.

“KRA will also receive higher taxes when this is done. If they do it tomorrow, next month they will see an increase of the importation of used motor vehicles. Actually, the government is getting a lot of money from the industry,” said Otieno.