Horizon News Reporter
Kenya went on overdrive gear to woo investors in the motor industry to pitch camp in the country.
Opening the 24th edition of Africa auto expo encompassing automotive assemblers, spare part makers, industrial tools and equipment, the Principal Secretary for Industry Dr. Juma Mukhwana said Kenya will continue to improve manufacturing environment to ensure that the country becomes number one choice for investors.
He said Kenya was a politically stable country with well-developed communication infrastructure and top notch skilled personnel in every sector preferred by most investors.
Dr. Mukhwana assured investors of a ready market in East Africa Community, COMESA and the greater Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCTA) with a population of 1.3 billion people for products manufactured in Kenya.
He said Kenya was the only country in the region hosting a World Rally Championship event where motor manufacturers come to compete and test their rally cars.
The PS said that Kenya was mulling on constructing a special automotive industrial park in Athi River and he invited potential investors to team up with Numerical Machining Complex (NMC) for a joint venture in assembling motor vehicles and making spare parts.
Presently, Kenya assembles 12,000 motor vehicles and 2.5 million motorbikes annually.
“Kenya is open for business and any willing investor will be assisted by the government to begin manufacturing”, said Dr. Mukhwana.
The exhibition was attended by more than 400 exhibitors from various parts of Africa and the world.