NAIROBI, Kenya – Government ministries and agencies are racing to beat an August 29 deadline to install second-generation number plates on all official vehicles—or risk having them impounded.
In a circular dated May 21, Head of Public Service Felix Koskei directed the immediate rollout of the high-security plates across all state-owned fleets, warning that non-compliant vehicles will be seized during a national enforcement sweep.
The operation will be spearheaded jointly by the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) and the Government Vehicle Check Unit (GVCU).
“This is not a suggestion—it is a directive,” Koskei warned. “All government vehicles must be fitted with second-generation plates by the deadline. Failure to comply will result in enforcement action.”
The second-generation plates, first introduced in 2023, feature advanced security enhancements, including embedded digital tracking elements, making them harder to forge or manipulate.
They are aligned with international standards for vehicle identification and are part of a broader government push to modernise transport regulation and curb misuse of state assets.
Authorities say the enhanced plates will help deter vehicle-related crimes and boost transparency, particularly in the public sector where state vehicles have often been misused or operated with tampered identification.
The directive comes amid a rise in abduction cases in Kenya, with investigators noting the use of vehicles bearing altered or suspicious number plates in several incidents.
The government hopes the new system will plug those security loopholes.
