Why President Uhuru's deal may force Kenyans to pay more for second-hand vehicles

david nganga

December 6, 2017 12:45 PM

Second-hand imports are highly popular with the middle-income earners as they are cheaper.

Kenyans may have to dig deeper into their pockets to buy second-hand cars if a deal on regional air pollution is implemented.

The deal, brought forward by President Uhuru Kenyatta, calls for a lower age limit for used-vehicle imports.

Mr Kenyatta on Tuesday told the United Nations Environment Assembly conference in Nairobi that he would host East African Framework Agreement on Air Pollution and push for its enactment.

“In furthering the agreement on air pollution, we hope to repeat the success we have achieved with the ban of plastic carrier bags, and we look forward to global support in this effort,” he said.

The 2008 agreement recommended the slashing of the age limit for imported cars, in a bid to promote a cleaner environment.

The agreement led to an East African Community (EAC) resolution that recommended the slashing of the age limit for imported cars to five years.

Wheareas Kenya and Tanzania only allow the import of second-hand cars not older than eight and ten years old respectively, Rwanda, Burundi and South Sudan do not have any such limits.

Second-hand imports are highly popular with the middle-income earners as they are cheaper. They however tend to be worse for the environment than newer ones due to their declining fuel efficiency as they age.

david nganga