A car is only as good as its current condition. Or so you would think!
But that’s not the case here in our beloved country, as the government lays plans to reduce the age limit of used cars imported into the country.
The new regulation, which has been a touchy subject in a number of debates by the car importation fraternity, is poised to become law in July 2019.
Indeed, the proposed law has not sat well with importers, who have bitterly shunned it. The new law aims to reduce the age of imported cars into the country from eight years down to five.
According to importers, they believe that the new move will eventually cripple the local automotive industry by 2021!
In a response to the government, the importers demanded that the government do away with the highly contentious and controversial Draft National Automotive Policy, which aims at phasing out used imported vehicles that have flooded the local automotive industry.
Communicating their sentiments on Sunday, February 10th via the Kenya Auto Bazaar Associations(KABA), the team of second-hand car dealers stated that the reduction of the age limit of imported cars in the country will only produce a crippling domino effect and set-off sky-rocketing car prices.
That being said, the government has made it clear that the proposed plan will only target cars having a capacity of 1500cc.
Chairman of KABA, John Kipchumba, stated that the umbrella will only halt from importing used cars when the government puts in place effective industries that permit 100% assembly of vehicles in the local market.
According to the government, the new plan is aimed at reducing and eventually phasing out used cars on Kenyan roads to revive the local industry when it comes to manufacturing and assembly of vehicles.