NAIROBI, Kenya
General Motors East Africa has commissioned a Sh100 million new vehicle-building technology centre in Nairobi, seeking to deepen its focus on the development of passenger service vehicle (PSV) in the country. Being the largest manufacturer of commercial vehicles in Eastern Africa with more than 15 models, the company expects the centre to complement the existing ultra-modern service centre with state of the art equipment and skilled personnel.
Cabinet secretary in the ministry of Transport and Infrastructure Michael Kamau noted that the government is committed to improving the regulatory environment to encourage sustained investment in the motor industry. “I am, therefore, calling upon the Association of Body Builders to ensure that its members produce buses that meet the industry minimum standards,” he said. “I commend GM for setting up the centre and hope that other players in the industry will emulate the same.”
The Minister noted that the number of fatalities resulting from road crashes involving PSVs is on the rise partly due to weak vehicle bodies that collapse or shear off on impact. “On average, road accidents account for approximately 3,000 deaths per year. This implies that approximately eight Kenyans lose their lives per day due to road accidents. It also means that 17 lives on average are lost per 10,000 registered vehicles.”
He further noted that the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) will implement new regulations on vehicle body building that have been developed by the Kenya Bureau of Standards. More so, NTSA will ensure that vehicle body builders adhere to the use of specified materials. Failure to comply with the set standards will lead to deregistration.
The Minister reiterated that the government is considering outlawing of mounting of carriers on the roof tops of public service vehicles. The NTSA together with the Kenya Bureau of Standards is set to hold a forum where stakeholders in the motor industry will be sensitized on standards of vehicle materials.
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