Kenya has reversed its decision to import 30 high capacity buses from South Africa at a cost of Ksh500 million ($5 million).
Transport secretary James Macharia on Wednesday said preference will now be given to local fabricators of passenger vehicle bodies to supply buses for the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) services.
The buses are to be deployed on the already-marked Thika Super Highway and other major roads within the capital Nairobi.
The first batch of the 30 BRT vehicles, which had already been identified in South Africa was expected to arrive in the country next week.
“We are committed to engaging local manufacturing and assembling capacity in provision of these buses and pushing for policies that encourage private sector-led investments in the automotive and transport sectors.
“We have no intentions or desire to import these buses from South Africa,” he said.
The government is set to launch six BRT corridors in Nairobi in a move aimed at reducing traffic congestion in the capital.
Priority corridors are the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) to Likoni, James Gichuru-Rironi and Bomas to Ruiru roads.
Others motorways also identified include Ngong Road – Juja, Mama Lucy–T-Mall and Balozi to Imara roads. At their optimum capacity, the corridors are expected to hold up to 950 high capacity buses reducing travel time and cost by up to 70 per cent, according to the CS.
I believe Kenyan bus body fabricators can do the BRT units once they are given the specifications.
So far, the likes of LSHS, Banbros, Master, Malva and others have fabricated majority of the ordinary bus bodies used presently in East Africa. Their products are great and it would be good to give them the opportunity.
I agree the local fabricators should be given that role, but apart from the aesthetics do they do any destructive structural test, some of the accidents involving those buses are usually gruesome - they have been in the business long to at least start conducting some crash and roll tests on their structures.
All in all a good move to have the same produced locally.
Wameona loopholes za kuloot pesa zimefungwa and with recent corruption cases macho yote itakua hapo wakasema wacha wajiokoa. This local option should have been considered the first time even before deciding to import from South Africa
Big mistake. You don’t hand-weld together pieces of poor quality steel and call it a bus. I would have liked to see proper buses bought from original manufacturers.It is surprising how so many highly-paid government officials cannot grasp common knowledge.
Yenyewe basi moja for a total cost of roughly 17m sio mbaya, for a quality design. But on the other hand kama zinatoka from a chinku manufacturer in SA, si heri ziitishwe Jiangsu directly aka DongFeng za NYS…
I believe there is room from improvement, our manufacturers should be given a chance. The fact that the government is talking of growing the manufacturing industry and it decides to source what can be made locally abroad, tells a lot about our leaders and their capacity to make decisions that serve our interests as a country.
What do you mean big mistake?undhani hiyo nganya umekalia ilitoka kwa manufacture hivyo ama hizi basi akina modern coast ama mash?Zinakuja kwa box inakua assembled hapo msa alafu chasis inapelekwa kwa body builder which I believe the locals ones do a good job.
Hizi vitu wangetoa China ama Europe mara moja. Anyone who knows something about construction will tell you the local buses are a big joke.They have been doing it the same way for the last 60 years.A local bus can hardly run for one year before falling apart.
Companies from those countries walianza na local before going international. With ur inferior complex mentality local players hakuna mahali wataenda. Ati can hardly run for one year reveals you know nothing about the industry. Master, LSHS and others are already exporting buses in EA travel ujionee