Kenya is currently facing an acute shortage of number plates. This shortage has gone on to affect over 4,000 imported used cars which are stuck at the port of Mombasa.
The number plates are manually produced at the Kamiti Maximum Prison.
Car Importers Association (CIA) said the shortage, which is costing them thousands of shillings in demurrage charges at the port, has persisted since September last year.
The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA), the sector regulator, has registered 3,996 units whose number plates are yet to be delivered, importers said.
The storage costs for the smallest unit at Container Freight Station is as much as Sh3,000 a day, translating to Sh. 11.988 million for the units presently at the port.
NTSA director for registration and licensing Jacqueline Githinji admitted the country can only produce about 1,000 plates against a demand of more than 3,000 vehicles. She, however, said that supply has only outstripped demand in the last two months.
