Nairobi — The Kenyan government has given its agencies less than three months to fit all state vehicles with high-security number plates or risk having them seized.
In a directive issued late last month, Head of Public Service Felix Koskei instructed all ministries and public offices to ensure their vehicles are compliant by 29 August 2025.
“Any government vehicle that does not have second-generation plates by the deadline will be impounded,” Koskei warned in a circular dated 21 May. The crackdown will be carried out by teams from the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) and the Government Vehicle Check Unit (GVCU).
The move is part of a broader push to tighten control over the use of public vehicles and improve national security.
Rush to Comply
Since the order was issued, NTSA says it has seen a sharp rise in plate applications.
“We’ve put in place adequate measures to manage the increased demand and ensure timely processing,” said a senior NTSA official who spoke on condition of anonymity, as they are not authorised to speak publicly on the matter.
The new plates, first introduced in 2023, come with digital tracking features and other anti-tampering technologies. They meet international standards for vehicle identification and are harder to forge.
A Response to Growing Threats
Officials say the move is not just about keeping public records tidy. There are growing concerns about how easily number plates can be faked—sometimes by criminals looking to cover their tracks.
Several recent abduction cases, according to police sources, have involved vehicles bearing suspicious or altered plates.
“This is not just a paperwork issue,” a Nairobi-based traffic officer told The Times. “Some of these fake plates are used to commit serious crimes. The new system gives us better tools to trace such vehicles.”
Koskei echoed this concern, noting that the upgraded design is intended to “curb vehicle-related crime, improve road safety, and ensure greater transparency in the use of government resources.”
A Race Against Time
Some government departments are said to be struggling to update their vehicle fleets in time, especially in more remote counties. There are also concerns about whether the NTSA’s systems can handle the rush without delays or errors.
Despite this, the message from government headquarters is clear: no exceptions.
“This is about accountability,” Koskei said. “Public vehicles should not operate like private property. There must be proper tracking and identification.”
