By Alfred Mataza | July 22, 2026
The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) has launched a nationwide road safety operation dubbed “Operation Watoto Wafike Salama” ahead of the August school holidays, targeting school buses, vans and public service vehicles (PSVs) in an effort to reduce road accidents involving learners.
The multi-agency exercise, being conducted in collaboration with the National Police Service (NPS), aims to ensure that vehicles transporting school children and other passengers comply with all road safety regulations before the holiday travel season begins.
According to NTSA, enforcement officers have been deployed along major highways and transport corridors across the country to carry out random inspections and enforce compliance with traffic laws.
During the operation, inspectors are verifying that drivers possess valid driving licences, PSV badges and up-to-date road service licences. The authority said only qualified and licensed drivers will be allowed to operate passenger vehicles during the holiday period.
The crackdown also focuses on the inspection of speed limiters to ensure they are functional, properly calibrated and transmitting real-time tracking data to the NTSA monitoring system as required by law.
Officers are further examining the mechanical condition of vehicles, including brake efficiency, tyre condition, seat belts, lighting systems and other critical safety features to determine whether the vehicles are roadworthy.
NTSA warned that vehicles found with defective brakes, worn-out tyres, faulty speed limiters or any other mechanical defects that could endanger passengers will be impounded immediately until they comply with safety standards.
The authority has also adopted a zero-tolerance approach against dangerous driving behaviours such as speeding, reckless overtaking, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, overloading and driver fatigue.
NTSA urged school transport operators, PSV owners and drivers to prioritize the safety of passengers, emphasizing that every vehicle transporting learners must meet the required safety standards before being allowed on the road.
The operation comes a day after the Senate annulled proposed NTSA traffic regulations that would have introduced mandatory annual inspections for private vehicles older than four years and new inspection charges.
Despite the annulment of the proposed rules, NTSA clarified that existing laws governing commercial vehicles, school transport, speed limiters, driver licensing and vehicle roadworthiness remain fully in force and will continue to be strictly enforced.
The authority reiterated that operators of school buses and public service vehicles have both a legal and moral responsibility to ensure passengers, especially learners, travel safely during the school holiday period.
NTSA called on motorists, parents, schools and transport operators to cooperate with enforcement officers throughout the operation, saying the initiative is aimed at saving lives and reducing the number of road crashes recorded during peak travel seasons.
The nationwide crackdown is expected to remain in force throughout the August school holiday period, with authorities warning that non-compliant vehicles and motorists will face penalties, prosecution or impoundment in accordance with the law.
