End of the road for custom-made number plates

With more Kenyans owning cars nowadays, another class has emerged that is keen to stand out from the crowd when driving on the roads.

Cruising city streets in a vehicle fixed with number plates bearing one’s name would surely turn heads, because to many Kenyans, it signifies that the one behind the steering wheel is a person of means.

Word in the streets is that custom-made registration number plates is an expensive undertaking, attracting up to Sh300,000 per year above the normal registration fee charged by Kenya Revenue Authority.

But unknown to many Kenyans, KRA has never issued those kind of number plates and thus asked the police to arrest those breaking the law.

Days after Nairobi police chief Antony Kibuchi ordered his officers to track down the cars, a top of the range vehicle, a Hummer that bore a plate inscribed MARIGA 17, was impounded. (READ: The allure of ‘vanity plates’)

It is owned by international footballer McDonald Mariga. His younger brother who was driving it around Kilimani area was arrested.

Registrar of motor vehicles at KRA Francis Meja said having personalised number plates is illegal.

Traffic Act

“Section 12 of the Traffic Act was amended, making a provision for personalised registration number plates. The amendment is not operational, because the regulations were never gazetted,” he said.

The gazette notice is supposed be published by the Transport minister. Mr Meja added: “The Act also prohibits anybody from manufacturing number plates without the authority of the registrar.

“That is why we have asked the police to extend the operation and arrest those who make them.” Registration plates in Kenya are solely manufactured at Kamiti Maximum Security Prison.

Nairobi traffic police commander Patrick Lumumba warned the owners of such vehicles would be arrested.

Juja MP William Kabogo has in the past been spotted in a Jeep car bearing a plate engraved KABOGO.

Gospel musician Ringtone and flamboyant Makadara MP Gideon Mbuvi aka Mike Sonko are also said to own cars with customised number plates.

In countries where use of customised registration is allowed, makers of such plates market them as “fun and unique way to give individuality to a vehicle”.

Said Mr Lumumba: “Violating the law by driving a car with number plates that have not been prescribed could land you in jail for not less than three months. Besides, they make the plates themselves or engage unscrupulous traders.”

According to Mr Meja, unrecognised plates pose a security risk because the vehicles could be used to commit crimes like carjacking.

Requirement for vehicle registration identification is captured in section 12 of the Traffic Act. It says the plates should be fixed “in the prescribed manner” including design and colour.

Sub-section 2 , which provides for “personalised” plates, has not be operationalised, according to Mr Meja.

Prescribed fee

It reads in part: “Notwithstanding subsection (1), the prescription of the design, colour and identification plate under this section shall make provision for a person to be issued with personalised identification plates bearing his name, initials or such other features as may be prescribed upon payment of a prescribed fee in addition to the fee payable for registration.”

Some top government officials customised plates. The President’s official limousine, carries the Court of Arms in the place the registration plate.