Outrage over Govt ban on second-hand vehicle spare parts

Importers and mechanics are up in arms following a government directive banning second-hand vehicle spare parts.

This comes following a notice issued by the Kenya Bureau of Statistics (KEBS) saying only new vehicle parts will now be shipped into the country.

However, according to the tens of thousands of Kenyans engaged in the trade, the ban will heavily affect their sources of livelihood.

Mechanics – mostly based in Kirinyaga Road, Grogon and Industrial areas – who spoke to Citizen Digital said their customers prefer used spare parts as opposed to new ones.

“Second hand parts work in a vehicle for over a year. New parts, on the other hand, do not even go past six months,” said Alphonce Mwalu, a mechanic.

Alpha Gichamba, one of many Kenyans involved in the importation of used motor vehicle parts, said the implementation of the directive has already started in some areas such as Dubai and that himself as well as his colleagues have been affected.

KEBS, while issuing the directive, specified 17 categories of second hand spare parts that are not to be imported into the country.

According to the notice, car parts like tyres, tie-rod-ends, bearings, spark plugs, clutch plates, brake pads, tubes, brake hose pipes, rubber bushes, filters, pressure plates, rack ends, ball joints, break and clutch cables among others will now be imported only as new.

The change in policy is part of the government’s bigger plan of gradually phasing out second hand motor vehicles with the ultimate aim of creating demand for new locally assembled vehicles.