ZANZIBAR President Dr Hussein Mwinyi yesterday launched a new vehicle inspection and registration one-stop centre in the isles, ending the trouble of visiting multiple agencies for isles residents.

The inauguration took place at Zanzibar Bureau of Standards (ZBS) offices in Unguja.

Speaking at the event, Dr Mwinyi said that his government was committed to overseeing the quality of products by ensuring that relevant institutions such as ZBS are equipped with modern laboratories and skilled experts for product testing and inspection across the isles.

He said that the initiative is meant to help protect national health and safety, conserve the environment, create fair competition and foster a conducive business environment to enable local industries to produce high-quality products.

Dr Mwinyi said that to achieve this, the government was taking steps to enhance the quality infrastructure of ZBS, including establishing the vehicle inspection centre.

“This is indeed a significant and important step towards strengthening this institution to perform its duties more efficiently,” he said.

He further added that standards and quality control are no longer new concepts in Zanzibar, adding that the government continues to oversee this to ensure that Zanzibar is not turned into a dumpsite for substandard products, including vehicles.

Dr Mwinyi emphasized the importance of ensuring that vehicles are inspected and their quality certified for road use.

He explained that substandard vehicles can lead to various issues, including environmental pollution from exhaust emissions and frequent accidents which contribute to the loss of the nation’s workforce. The government also spends a significant amount of money on health services for accident victims.

He added that the new center will enhance the capacity and efficiency of vehicle inspections, leading to safer and more suitable vehicles for use.

Dr Mwinyi urged ZBS officials to maintain the equipment at the center to ensure continued effective operations and for employees to work diligently to provide excellent service to the public.

Commerce and Industry Minister Omar Said Shaaban said that statistics show a significant increase in the number of vehicles entering the isles compared to previous years.

He called on the authorities involved in vehicle certification to continue cooperating with ZBS to achieve the main goals of safety, quality and standards.

He also urged ZBS to maintain the center to achieve the government’s intended objectives and highlighted that the presence of the center will increase government revenue.

ZBS Director General Yusuph Majid Nassor said the purpose of the new center is to address the inconvenience faced by residents who previously had to go to various public institutions for vehicle registration.

He said that they decided to consolidate all vehicle certification authorities in one place to complete vehicle registration processes efficiently and without any challenges.

The new vehicle inspection center is equipped with two machines capable of inspecting 300 vehicles per day and will operate for 24 hours.