Africa-Press – Kenya. The Automobile Association of Kenya (AA Kenya) has rolled out an International Driving Permit, which will allow Kenyan drivers to legally operate vehicles in over 150 countries without having to take local driving tests. The rollout is in response to a troubling surge in international incidents where Kenyan motorists have faced legal action and severe reprimands from foreign authorities for possessing counterfeit driving permits.
“In recent years, several Kenyans have been arrested abroad for possessing fake IDPs, which Ithe nternational police treats as forgery,” said Francis Theuri, CEO, AA Kenya.
“The IDP we are issuing is tamper-proof, it has very good security features and is digital, meaning the Interpol can verify online, without having to call us directly.”
The IDP, designed with the support of the International Automobile Federation (FIA), AA Dubai, and the United Kingdom, acts as an official translation of a valid Kenyan driving license into multiple international languages.
This will make it easier for motorists traveling for work, studies, business, or leisure to rent vehicles from international car rental agencies. Meanwhile, insurance companies abroad can use the IDP to validate coverage for foreign drivers.
With the government’s encouragement for more Kenyans to travel and work abroad, the IDP will also create new opportunities for Kenyans, especially the youth, to secure jobs that involve a lot of driving.“This product underscores AA Kenya’s commitment to supporting drivers as they transition from local mobility to global access,” said Theuri. “Through quality driver training and internationally compliant certification, we continue to empower motorists to showcase Kenyan driving competence on the world stage,” he added.Locally, the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) was forced to issue a public warning in December last year after flagging a website falsely claiming to provide motor vehicle copy or records and logbook search services. The authority flagged a website dubbed Mverified, clarifying that the platform was not affiliated with the authority in any way. Individuals who fell victim to the fraudulent website were subsequently urged to report to the authorities.
The authority further clarified that the official process for obtaining a Motor Vehicle Copy of Records (COR) is only available through the NTSA service Portal, accessible via the eCitizen platform. This is also where one can do a logbook search.
