The long-awaited new number plates with enhanced security features were launched today with the government hailing them as critical in fighting crime.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr. Fred Matiang’i said the new plates that will be launched with the KDK… series for newly-registered vehicles and on October 1st, 2022 to replace existing ones, will introduce the missing link in the securitization of motor vehicle registration.
The plates will also put Kenya in the list of countries that are compliant with the Vienna Traffic Conventions on global standards for number plates including look-and-feel features. They will also meet the requirements of local legal requirements under the Traffic Act 2016.
Speaking at the Government-owned facility that is making the plates in Ruiru, Matiang’i who was accompanied by his Cabinet colleagues James Macharia (Transport) and Joe Mucheru (ICT) said the new features will make it difficult to fake number plates.
The smart plates, which will be easily identifiable to law enforcement officers, will also store information such as year of manufacturer, type and colour of vehicle, engine number, transmission type, date and place of manufacture, and insurance details.
Dr. Matiang’i noted the new number plates will be especially useful in combating terrorism and organized crime. "When we were hit during Dusit 2, it was because terrorists gained vehicles and acquired number plates in a fraudulent manner, and it was very difficult to trace them within the time they were around.
The CS described the new plates as a masterstroke that will make it difficult for motor theft syndicates thriving in duplication and faking of number plates. According to the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA), the new plates will incorporate microchip technology and several anti-counterfeit security features that will render them practically impossible to imitate.
Besides unique template, they’ll feature a specially-imprinted national flag, hologram, watermark, unique and different serial numbers for rear and front plates that are linked to the vehicle’s chassis number and a customized font.
Content created and supplied by: Becky (via Opera News )
COMMENTS