The Mountain Journal
There is a relief to motorists after the High Court suspended the enforcement of mandatory annual inspections for private vehicles, dealing a blow to the National Transport and Safety Authority’s (NTSA) plan to subject all vehicles older than four years to yearly roadworthiness tests.
The conservatory orders, issued by Justice Francia Nyungu Kyambia in Kiambu High Court, suspended the enforcement of several provisions of the Traffic (Motor Vehicle Inspection) Rules, 2026, and the accompanying NTSA notice requiring annual inspections for private non-commercial vehicles pending the hearing and determination of a petition challenging the regulations.
The orders will remain in force until June 22, 2027, when the application is scheduled for an inter partes hearing.
The ruling comes days after NTSA directed owners of vehicles older than four years from the date of manufacture to begin booking annual inspections from July 1 under new road safety regulations.
The rules require vehicles older than four years, including privately owned and government vehicles, to undergo annual inspections to determine their roadworthiness. Vehicles that pass would receive inspection stickers and reports, while those that fail would be issued with defect reports requiring repairs before re-inspection.
Although NTSA had indicated that enforcement against private vehicle owners would not begin immediately, the regulations also introduced penalties for operating vehicles that have not undergone mandatory inspection, using inspection stickers issued for another vehicle, altering inspection reports, or attempting to circumvent the inspection process.