The proposed decentralisation of motor vehicle inspection will increase corruption, matatu operators in Garissa have said.
In the proposed regulations, the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) wants private centres to handle inspection of vehicles to ease congestion in government-owned centres.
Currently, there is only one inspection centre in the region at Garissa. Matatu operators from Mandera and Wajir travel 800km and 500km, respectively, to have their vehicles inspected.
The NTSA has proposed that individuals who set up the private inspection centres pay Sh500,000 to be licensed for three years.
Hassan Hussein, who operates matatus and tuk tuks, said the figure is too high.
Hussein said it will lock out the youth from employment since many of them cannot afford the fee. He spoke on Tuesday during a public participation forum in Garissa.
“Surely, how many youth in this county have Sh500,000 to get a licence for inspection. Mind you, we are yet to talk about investing in equipment. The authorities should review the figure and come up a reasonable sum to motivate more youth to venture into the business,” Hussein said.
Another matatu operator Dubow Barre said having privately owned vehicle inspection centres will encourage corruption.
He blamed the police for doing little to prevent accidents. Barre said they have a tendency of doing inspection after an accident has occurred instead of before.
He urged the NTSA to formulate a law that will regulate the privately run motor vehicle inspection centres so as to monitor them and fight corruption that he said was rampant within the police force.
Francis Mwongo, a board member at the NTSA, said the essence of the forums is to collect views from stakeholders for the Cabinet Secretary for Transport to gazette them.
“We are doing this to bring services closer to the people and we are in support of wealth creation for wananchi as well as create employment for our youth,” he said.
He said that by privatising the motor vehicle inspection centres they intend to make road safer.
(Edited by P. Wanambisi)
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