The Motorists Association of Kenya has strongly criticised a new government proposal requiring all private vehicles older than four years to undergo mandatory inspections, calling it an unjustified attempt to extort motorists under the guise of safety.

The proposal, announced by Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir, seeks to introduce new laws that would mandate regular inspections to ensure road safety, reduce emissions, and keep vehicles roadworthy.

But according to the Motorists Association, the move has little to do with safety and everything to do with squeezing cash from Kenyans already burdened by tough economic conditions.

“The Motorists Association of Kenya unequivocally condemns the government’s latest attempt to impose mandatory inspections on private vehicles,” the group said in a statement posted on X.

“This proposal is not only unjustified but stands as a testament to shameless greed and an unrestrained appetite to squeeze Kenyan motorists dry, without conscience or care for the economic agony already borne by vehicle owners.”

The Association described the plan as a dishonest revenue scheme that comes on top of what they claim are numerous other burdens, including illegal hikes in road maintenance levies, costly number plates, and inflated charges on smart driving licences.

“Chirchir’s lie is peddled to disguise an unjust revenue grab on top of new other unjust KRA CRSP making popular car models unaffordable, illegal increase of RMLF, Excise, number plate, smart DL Scams, 3 billion monthly roadside extortion and swaddled cash bail deposits,” the Association stated.

Private Vehicles Not to Blame

According to the Association, the government’s inspection system is already broken, pointing to the commercial vehicle sector, where they claim most vehicles secure inspection stickers without undergoing any real checks.

“Let it be known: the current inspection regime for commercial vehicles is already a well-documented farce. Over 90% of these vehicles secure inspection stickers without ever seeing the inside of an inspection bay,” read the statement.

“It is a revenue-collection spectacle rife with corruption and backdoor dealings. Now, inspired by this lucrative chaos, conspirators within the government seek to replicate this farce vehicle inspection circus at the expense of law-abiding private vehicle owners.”

The Association also argued that the move unfairly targets private motorists who, according to road crash data, are not the main contributors to serious road accidents.

“Private cars are rarely the cause of road carnage in Kenya. Even where they occur, the government’s data confirms they are overwhelmingly due to driver error, the tragic result of a broken driver licensing system that openly sells competence certificates to the highest bidder,” they said.

“Considering the huge number of private vehicles on our roads, it is undeniable that their involvement in accidents is negligible compared to commercial vehicles. This alone shatters the dishonest narrative that accidents are the justification for private vehicle inspections.”

The Association concluded its statement by calling on the government to drop the proposal and instead address systemic failures in licensing and law enforcement, which they say are the real threats to road safety.