Kenyan motorists could be off the hook after the Senate rejected controversial National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) regulations that sought to introduce mandatory annual inspections for private vehicles older than four years.
The Senate Committee on Delegated Legislation recommended the annulment of Legal Notices No. 11, 12, 13 and 14 of 2026, saying the regulations did not meet the legal requirements under the Statutory Instruments Act and raised concerns over public participation.
The decision is a major win for private motorists, commercial vehicle owners and school transport operators who had opposed the new rules, arguing they would increase the cost of owning and operating vehicles.
The Motorists Association of Kenya (MAK), which petitioned the Senate over the regulations, welcomed the move, saying the committee had listened to the concerns raised by motorists.
“We thank the Senate for listening to our submissions on all the Legal Notices. We also extend our deepest gratitude to the thousands of petitioners who signed our petitions and contributed comments that helped build a robust case,” said MAK team leader Peter Murima.
Under the proposed rules, all private vehicles more than four years old would have been required to undergo annual inspections to determine their roadworthiness.
NTSA had said the measure was aimed at improving road safety and reducing accidents caused by mechanically defective vehicles.
However, the Senate committee questioned the basis of the proposal, saying there was no sufficient justification for requiring annual inspections instead of longer inspection intervals.
It also raised concerns over the financial burden the regulations would place on motorists and whether adequate public participation had been conducted before the rules were introduced.
Besides the vehicle inspection rules, the committee also rejected regulations affecting commercial vehicles and school transport.
MAK argued that some of the proposed changes would have introduced additional fees and licensing requirements without proper legal backing.
The association said it will now notify the High Court, where it had challenged the regulations, that the matter has been overtaken by events following the Senate’s decision.
The committee’s recommendation now leaves the future of the regulations in the hands of the government, with NTSA expected to review the proposals if it still intends to pursue the reforms.