The Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) has announced that Kenya will stop the importation of second hand passenger mini-buses and large buses from July 1, 2022. The country has also banned importation of rigid trucks with a capacity of up to 30 tons.
KEBS managing director Bernard Njiraini said the new measures follows the implementation of new standards meant to boost safety on the roads as well as support local assemblers who produce over 5,000 units annually.
“All used passenger minibus, midibus and large bus, single articulated and bi-articulated and double-decker buses shall not be allowed for importation into the country from July 1,” said Njiraini in a notice.
Njiraini also said tractor heads and prime movers not older than three years since the time of first registration shall continue to be imported into the country until June 2023, and they will be on the ban list thereafter.
Other categories of vehicles will continue to be allowed to be imported as long as they are not older than eight years as per KEBS regulations. Kenya imports an average of 100,000 second hand vehicles a year, with most of them coming from Asian nations such as Japan, China and Singapore as well as Germany.
According to KEBS, the new measures are in a bid to aid in the growth of Kenya’s automotive industry.