* All impounded vehicles and motorcycles shall only be released upon full payment of the prescribed fines and affixing of valid registration numbe plates
* The operation has been necessitated following non-adherence still prevalent on the public roads by motorists to this legal requirement
* Despite several repeated warning to motorists against operating unregistered vehicles as well as not displaying the number plates
By Duncan Mlanjira
In a joint operation with the Malawi Police Service (MPS), the Directorate of Road Traffic & Safety Services (DRTSS) has rolled out a 7-day exercise across the country to force motorists against using vehicles and motorcycle taxis (kabaza) without registration plates.
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The operation has been necessitated following non-adherence still prevalent on the public roads by motorists to this legal requirement despite several repeated warning to motorists against operating unregistered vehicles as well as not displaying the number plates.
An internal memo we have seen dated January 19, 2026 issued by DRTSS Director General, Christopher Kuyera, indicates that the exercise, to involve MPS traffic officers and Police Mobile Force officers, will run from Wednesday January 21-27.
Kuyera encourages all officers assigned to “ensure that there is strict enforcement, professionalism and uniform application of the law” — emphasising that “no motorist shall be spared during this enforcement”.
“For proper execution of the programme, please ensure that all vehicles and motorcycles found operating without registration number plates are impounded and the drivers fined accordingly.”
Boots on the ground; Kuyera joined the exercise in Lilongwe
The internal memo also encouraged the traffic officers that where feasible, the kabaza operation’s leadership should be engaged on enforcement of motorcycles, while indicating that “all impounded vehicles and motorcycles shall only be released upon full payment of the prescribed fines and affixing of valid registration number plates”.
“Similarly, unregistered vehicles shall be fined and impounded and shall only be released after full registration of the vehicle has been completed in accordance of the law.”
Two days ago, Minister for Homeland Security, Peter Mukhito engaged the DRTSS Director General Kuyera, MPS Inspector General Richard Luhanga — along with representatives from Lilongwe City Council and Malawi Coalition for Kabaza Stakeholders and Associations (MACOKASA) — aimed at addressing the road safety situation affecting Kabaza operators.
In a report on its official Facebook page, the DRTSS indicated that some of the areas discussed were registration, licensing and awareness programs targeting kabaza operators.
Kuyera is quoted as saying the DRTSS is implementing a number of initiatives such as reducing driving school fees, and travelling to remote areas to carry out awareness programs and also registering Kabaza operators in those remote areas.
And to complement on efforts already in place, the DRTSS reports that the Minister directed that a task team should be formed with full stakeholder collaboration.
As soon as the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) was elected into government, Mukhito, in his capacity as the party secretary general, asked people to desist from using vehicles without registration plates as was the case during the 2014-2019 DPP-led administration.
During that period, party cadres were abusing road traffic rules by displaying scarves in DPP colours on their vehicles, whose number plates displayed ’Ana aDadi’ in order to intimidate traffic officers from stopping them since their cars had expired certificates of fitness (COFs) and/or motor vehicle insurance.
Mukhito thus banned this trend in September, saying the behaviour as well as other political trends “were not only unacceptable but recalled the same conduct that led to [the DPP] being voted out of government in 2020.”
On January 9, Director Kuyera and Inspector General Luhanga issued a joint statement reminding the public on the two institutions’ enforcement of regulations on motor vehicle registration and display of registration number plates.
The two law enforcement heads strongly reminded the public that the practice of driving cars without displaying registration plates is a serious infraction prohibited under the laws of Malawi through section 11 (2) of the Road Traffic Act (1997) which states that: ‘No person shall operate on a public road an motor vehicle which is not registered and licenced under this part’.
Regulation 5(1) of the Road Traffic (Registration and Licensing) Regulation, 2000 further stipulates that: ‘Every motor vehicle in Malawi shall, whether or not it is operated on a public road, be registered by the title holder thereof, in accordance with the provisions of this part’.
With regards to affixing of number plates on a vehicle being operated on public road, Regulation 19(11) (13) of the Road Traffic (Regulation and Licencing) Regulations, 2000 provides as follows: ‘The owner of a motor vehicle shall cause the registration plates of such motor vehicle, in the prescribed manner, whether or not such motor vehicle is operated on a public road’.
“This again is a serious infraction under the laws of Malawi,” emphasised the two law enforcement institutions, which further remind the public that in line with Regulation 10(1) of the Road Traffic (Regulation and Licencing) Regulations, 2000, all imported motor vehicles have a 14-day grace period from the date they enter Malawi to complete all required registration process.
This include clearance with the Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA), the Malawi Police Service (Interpol) and subsequent registration with the DRTSS — and after the expiry of this period, “any vehicle found operating with valid registration is deemed to have contravened the law”.
The statement issued a reminder that the DRTSS and traffic police department “will continuously enforce compliance on all unregistered vehicles exceeding the 14-day grace period and all vehicles being driven without affixed number plates”.
“To avoid being inconvenienced and embarrassed with traffic law enforcers, all motorists are expected to refrain from operating vehicles without affixed number plates on public roads,” emphasised the two law enforcement heads.
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