NTSA Director General Francis Meja at a past function [Photo/nation.co.ke]
National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) has released a consignment of 4,000 number plates to the port of Mombasa. The new move is meant to ease the shortage being experienced at the facility.
According to NTSA Director General Francis Meja, importers of second-hand vehicles at the port have been greatly affected by the shortage of number plates in the past weeks.
The Authority has also revealed that another consignment of number plates has already dispatched to the port. Meja also downplayed claims that more than 6000 imported cars were stuck at the port of Mombasa because of the crisis.
This comes after Car Importers Association of Kenya chairman Peter Otieno said 6,493 vehicles remained uncollected at the port because of the number plate issue. He also claimed that the owners are paying Sh19.4 million per day towards the charges. Meja also said that the officers have heeded to President Uhuru Kenyatta’s order to leave the roads following complainants from the public over increased cases of bribery.
The authority has released 100 police officers to the traffic department and recalled 78 staff members following the directive. Meja further said that the authority has no problem with the President’s directive.
“We are okay with the directive. We support the directive. Our functions are wide. We will re-assign our officers who were on the roads…we are re-organizing to focus on our mandate,” Mr Meja said.