{
  "id": 9636066,
  "title": "What the proposed NTSA amendment Bill seeks to change",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/24/what-the-proposed-ntsa-amendment-bill-seeks-to-change",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-24T22:01:31.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "People Daily Kenya",
    "slug": "people-daily-kenya",
    "url": "https://peopledaily.digital/news/what-the-proposed-ntsa-amendment-bill-seeks-to-change"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) Amendment Bill, 2026, currently under public review in the Kenyan Senate, aims to overhaul the process of safety and conformity checks on matatus and buses. Sponsored by Senator Kathuri Murungi, the proposed law seeks to establish a new legal framework for registering, licensing, and supervising experts who evaluate public service vehicle bodies for compliance with safety standards. The Bill addresses concerns over the current reliance on the Kenya Association of Bus Manufacturers (KABM) for conformity assessments, as this arrangement raises questions about the impartiality of the evaluators, given that KABM members are involved in both manufacturing and certifying vehicles. Under the amendment, conformity assessors would be specialists who use criteria set by NTSA to verify adherence to approved standards in PSV body design, manufacture, and installation. The Bill introduces new sections 26A to 26C to outline the requirements for obtaining and maintaining a licence, which requires applicants to demonstrate independence from the vehicle or equipment being assessed, preventing involvement in any aspect of its design, manufacture, supply, installation, purchase, ownership, or maintenance. Conformity assessment licences would be valid for three years, with NTSA responsible for setting assessment criteria, designating licensed assessors, conducting periodic audits, and requiring assessors to submit technical reports after completing designated assessments. The Bill's aim is to separate those responsible for building or supplying PSV bodies from those tasked with independently verifying their compliance with safety standards. The Senate has invited written submissions from the public until October 8, 2026, and will hold a public hearing on the same day. The legislation also has implications for county governments, as public transport is a county function under the Constitution, although the Bill is not a money Bill.",
  "summary": "The Senate has opened public participation on a proposed law seeking to change how safety and conformity checks on matatu and bus bodies are conducted, with the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) set to take a bigger role in licensing and supervising assessors. The National Transport and Safety Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2026, Senate Bills […]",
  "key_points": [
    "Bill aims to overhaul safety checks on matatus and buses in Kenya.",
    "New framework for registering, licensing, and supervising conformity assessors.",
    "Assessors must be independent from vehicle design, manufacture, and maintenance."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}