The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) will conduct free motor vehicle inspection clinics for school buses and school vans under its “Operation Watoto Wafike Salama” initiative.

The nationwide exercise shall be carried out on Saturday, 23rd August 2025, from 9 am to 3 pm at all NTSA testing stations. The drive is aimed at guaranteeing the learners’ safety by testing the road worthiness of the school transport vehicles before schools reopen for the new term.

The participating inspection centres include Mombasa, Nakuru, Uasin Gishu, Nyahururu, Machakos, Voi, Kitale, Kakamega, Nyeri, Thika, Kisumu, Embu, Meru, Kericho, Garissa, and the Likoni Road centre in Nairobi. In Kisii County, the inspections will be carried out a day earlier, on Friday, August 22, to accommodate local schools and transport operators.

In the exercise, NTSA officials will carry out comprehensive checks for safety to focus on braking systems, tires, seatbelts, lights, and mechanical conditions of vehicles.

“We will make a safety assessment to guide motor vehicle owners and schools on corrective measures to take in order to ensure the safety of all our children,” the agency said.

Schools and vehicle owners will be given expert guidance on any repairs or alterations they must make in order to be able to pass safety tests. NTSA has invited transport providers and schools to take advantage of the free test, emphasizing that it will enhance road safety and parents’ confidence in school transport.

The “Operation Watoto Wafike Salama” campaign is NTSA’s extension of its overall campaign to minimize school bus accidents and instill a culture of road safety across the nation, following similar public service vehicle inspection campaigns.