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The National Transport and Safety Authority has launched Operation Watoto Wafike Salama, a nationwide safety campaign that will offer free motor vehicle inspection clinics for school transport vehicles on Saturday August 23 2025.
The clinics will run from 09:00 am to 3:00 pm at designated NTSA inspection centres and are designed to assess the roadworthiness of buses and vans used to ferry learners and to advise owners and schools on corrective measures required for compliance.
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What the operation will do
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NTSA inspectors will carry out comprehensive safety assessments of school transport vehicles.
A school bus in Kenya
Checks will focus on braking systems, tyres, lights, seat belts and the general mechanical condition of each vehicle.
Inspectors will verify that vehicles hold valid inspection certificates, a current road service licence and insurance cover.
Drivers will be required to present valid driving licences and PSV badges.
The authority has emphasised that functional speed limiters must be fitted and actively transmitting data to the Intelligent Road Safety Management System, IRSMS.
Vehicles deemed unsafe or non-compliant may be prohibited from operating until remedial work is completed.
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Time and locations
The free inspection clinics are scheduled for Saturday, August 23, 2025 at NTSA centres in major towns, including Nairobi, Mombasa, Nakuru, Machakos, Kakamega, Kisumu, Voi, Uasin Gishu, Nyahururu, Kitale, Nyeri, Thika, Embu, Meru, Kericho and Garissa.
National Transport and Safety Authority Director-General George Njao
The Kisii clinic will be held a day earlier on Friday, August 22, 2025 at Cardinal Otunga High School, Mosocho, to accommodate local operators and schools.
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In a public notice dated 20 August 2025 NTSA set out a detailed checklist for drivers of school transport.
The authority requires that all vehicles be roadworthy and hold the necessary certification and insurance.
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NTSA
The notice instructs operators to avoid carrying excess passengers, to ensure every child wears a seat belt and to prevent any part of a child’s body from hanging outside a vehicle.
The notice also warns that non-compliant vehicles will be subjected to enforcement action, which may include prohibition from operation until compliance is achieved.
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Why the operation was formed
NTSA said Operation Watoto Wafike Salama forms part of an intensified effort to reduce road accidents involving school children and to improve safety standards in school transport.
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NTSA car
The campaign follows earlier compliance checks that revealed gaps, including missing or poorly serviced speed limiters and interior defects such as torn upholstery, malfunctioning door locks and defective seat belts.
The free clinics are presented as preventive measures to identify and correct risks before the new term begins.
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What operators should do
School administrations and transport service providers should take advantage of the clinics and to present vehicles for assessment.
Operators are advised to carry all relevant documents to the inspection centres and to carry out any recommended repairs promptly.
The authority has asked drivers and conductors to adhere strictly to the checklist and to report any vehicles that may endanger learners.