In Kenya, all vehicle owners must have a number plate that is issued upon registration by the Registrar of Motor Vehicles.

The purpose of the number plates is to identify the owner of the vehicle. The types of number plates issued in Kenya vary depending on the group function of a vehicle.

This explains why Civilian Vehicle Number Plates, County Government Vehicles, Motorbikes, Tuktuk, and Diplomatic Number Plates have varying appearances.

Some individuals have, however, gone ahead to apply for personalized number plates that read the preferred name of the owner, something that the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) is highly encouraging.

These number plates is a status symbol as most of the individuals who own them in Kenya are wealthy business people, sportsmen, celebrities and politicians.

According to NTSA, a person seeking customised number plates is required to pay Ksh1,000,000 and wait for five working days.

Some of the prominent Kenyans who own customized number plates are

Jimi Wanjigi

Wanjigi is one of the wealthiest businessmen in Kenya with multiple investments across agriculture, real estate, sanitation, and financial sectors.

The Murang’a billionaire in 2022 stirred a debate after stating that he does not check his bank account balance explaining that it was a taboo for someone to count his wealth.

“I am just an ordinary Kenyan. I have two children and as a family, they have a roof over their heads, food to eat. I account myself lucky as many people lack even food. So let us not focus on how much money someone has rather on ways we can be able to assist those who lack,” he stated.

Wanjigi is famed for his lavish lifestyle dotted with top-of-the-range cars. Among the powerful machines owned by the reclusive entrepreneur are Mercedes Benz S500 2016, 2017 Rolls-Royce Provenance Phantom Coupe, Toyota Landcruiser V8 2015, Porsche Cayenne 2018, and Land Rover TDV6.

Mike Sonko

The former Nairobi governor is one of the wealthiest politicians in the country. He never shies from showing off his wealth, including expensive outfits, and jewelry, and driving expensive cars.

Sonko boasts a fleet of cars comprising off-road machines to sleek coupes. They include 2020 Cadillac Escalade, Lexus LX570 2018 Model, 2018 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Cabriolet, Nissan Patrol 2018, and Toyota Land Cruiser V8.

He also owns a Hummer H2, a Range Rover Sport, a Range Rover Vogue, and a Toyota Crown athlete 2018 among others.

Donald Kipkorir

Flamboyant lawyer Donald Kipkorir is never left behind when it comes to flaunting flashy lifestyle. Reports indicate that he was the first Kenyan to own a 2016 Range Rover Sport 3.0L V6 Supercharged HSE, a posh British-made machine.

The vehicle number plate’s first three letters are the initials of his name (Donald B. Kipkorir), while the last three digits (007) are James Bond’s code name, as the lawyer refers to himself as the James Bond of Kenya.

Ronald Karauri

Kasarani Member of Parliament and Sportpesa CEO Ronald Karauri owns a fleet of luxurious high-end cars, with a custom registration plate with the initials ‘ACE’ followed by a custom number, with his latest being ‘ACE 777’.

Among the expensive rides he cruises in are a BMW 3 Series, the famous black Overfinch Range Rover, a Rolls-Royce, a Bentley Continental GT Speed, and a Maybach S600, among others.

MacDonald Mariga

Former Inter Milan player MacDornald Mariga is one of the most talented footballers Kenya has ever produced.  He is the first Kenyan to have won the coveted Uefa Champions League trophy in 2010 with Inter Milan.

He cruises in high end cars with customized number plate inscribed MARIGA 17. Some of his cars include   a powerful Dodge Challenger SRT valued at Sh7million, a KSh 9 million Cadillac Escalade, a KSh 7 million Range Rover Vellar and Hummer.

Victor Wanyama

Just like his brother and fellow footballer MacDonald Mariga, Wanyama is one of the best stars in football and more so in the English Premier League.

The former Harambee Stars’ Captain and Southampton FC midfielder never is known for his lavishly evidenced by his state-of-the-art machines among them a Volkswagen Crafter CR53 Maxi rumoured to be worth Sh30 million.

He also owns a Cadillac Escalade Platinum 2011, a Lexus V8, a Jaguar and a Hummer H3.

JJ Titus

The Meru businessman is famed for his flashy car collection including a BMW X3, Toyota Prado, Jeep Wrangler, and  Lexus LX570.

Chris Kirubi

Billionaire industrialist the late Chris Kirubi was among the first Kenyans to own personalized number plates.

His fleet of high-end cars was identifiable by the unique number plates which bore the initials of his name.

The businessman, who died on 14 June 2021 after a long battle with colon cancer, reportedly left behind six vehicles valued at over Sh108 million.

The cars include a Mercedes-Maybach, Bentley, Mercedes Benz M class, Range Rover, and a Ferrari.