Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM) has partnered with the African Association of Automotive Manufacturers (AAAM) to drive the sustainable development and growth of the automotive industry in the country.

This will be achieved by scaling up production, increasing trade, and driving the global competitiveness of Kenya’s automotive industry.

Speaking during the MoU signing ceremony, AAAM CEO, Dave Coffey said the increased focus on building value chains and enhancing trade shall spur the demand for automotive industry products.

He noted that enabling business environment attracts investors, as seen in Morocco and South Africa, which have thriving automotive industries.

“Through this partnership, we shall collaborate to enhance scale, spur industrialisation and deepen localisation of goods manufactured by Kenya’s automotive industry,” Coffey said. The MoU was signed during AAAM’s visit to Kenya, aimed at enabling participants to understand Kenya’s automotive industry and providing linkages with investors. 

Tobias Alando, KAM Chief operating officer explained how the partnership would boost the automotive sector in the country. He said although Kenya’s automotive industry is the most established in the region, it continues to face challenges, such as a shortage of skilled labour force, low levels of research and development and a lack of long-term financial solutions for the sector to enable investments in technology.

“By collaborating with AAAM, we shall continue to develop automotive policies geared towards positioning Kenya as a production and trade hub, integrating EAC into the value chain and providing market linkages for sector players,” explained Alando.