In order to contest a government policy on imported automobiles that would bar specific autos from three ships at the Mombasa port from entering the local market, Kenyan car dealers are threatening to take legal action.
Vehicles built in 2017 had until December 31 to register with the nation’s standards authority, according to the government. Importers, however, are challenging this ruling, claiming that logistical disruptions will result in significant financial losses.
Within the next week, at least three delayed vessels are anticipated to dock at the port of Mombasa, according to dealers. They contend that the current eight-year restriction on the importation of motor vehicles ought to remain in place. The Car Importers Association of Kenya (CIAK) has expressed concerns that several vessels expected to arrive in Mombasa before December 31 experienced delays due to various logistical issues, including attacks by Houthi militants in the Red Sea. These attacks forced ships to take longer routes, causing further delays.
CIAK Chairman Peter Otieno stated on Thursday that the association might be forced to go to court if their vehicles are not cleared. He has urged the government to consider the shipping industry’s challenges and allow all vehicles inspected before the deadline to pass. “We are asking the Kenya Bureau of Standards (Kebs) to respect the agreement we had with them, which we believe still stands, and allow all cars cleared by their agents on time but delayed due to logistical issues to access the Kenyan market,” Mr. Otieno said.
In November, Kebs issued guidelines under the eight-year rule that prevent 2017-manufactured vehicles from being shipped into the country after the December 31 deadline. The standards regulator has stated that any vehicles failing to meet this deadline will not be cleared and will be turned away at the importers’ expense.
While some Kenyan car dealers managed to meet the deadline with five vessels docking at the port of Mombasa, Mr. Otieno said that at least three additional vessels are expected before January 10 and appealed to Kebs to relax its rules. “We are urging the government to consider allowing all vehicles cleared by Kebs to be allowed into the country past December 31, 2024. If not, we will move to court,” said Mr. Otieno. “There are a number of logistics challenges at the moment, including delays caused by Houthi militants who have disrupted shipping, thus increasing the number of days vessels are docked in Mombasa. We expect this to delay the delivery of vehicles, resulting in losses.”
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