11/08/2026
Today, the Automotive Parts Manufacturers Association of Kenya (APMA), participated in a stakeholder workshop convened by the State Department for Roads, Ministry of Roads and Transport, to deliberate on the proposed Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system in Kenya.
APMA was represented by its Chairman, Ash*t Shah, and Board Member, Nephat Njeng'wa, who joined government and private sector stakeholders in discussions on how the BRT program can contribute to the development of Kenya’s automotive industry.
The discussions highlighted an important opportunity: using the BRT program to deepen local manufacturing and value addition within Kenya’s automotive value chain.
In late 2025, the Nairobi Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (NaMATA) undertook an assessment of Kenya’s potential to manufacture automotive parts and systems, build bus bodies, and assemble electric BRT buses locally. The assessment included parts manufacturers, including APMA members.
The findings are encouraging.
The Principal Secretary, State Department for Roads, Eng. Joseph Mbugua, CBS, noted the significant potential for localizing parts and raw materials such as steel, rubber, and electrical cables.
Principal Secretary, State Department for Industry, Hon Ps Dr Juma Mukhwana, PhD, CBS emphasized that increased localization in vehicle assembly will create new opportunities for local parts manufacturers. He highlighted the National Automotive Policy of 2022, the Automotive Bill, and the East African Community Assembling and Manufacturing of Products Regulations, 2025 as important policy instruments supporting the growth of the sector.
The Samurai Financing facility from Japan also presents an opportunity to catalyze investment in parts manufacturing and vehicle assembly, while supporting access to finance for consumers purchasing locally assembled vehicles.
For APMA, the message is clear:
Kenya should not only assemble vehicles. We should manufacture more of the components that go into them.
The BRT program provides an opportunity to demonstrate what this can look like in practice, from locally manufactured components and bus bodies to electric mobility technologies.
A stakeholder session will be convened at a later date to validate the NaMATA assessment report.
The question now is: how much of Kenya’s BRT investment can we turn into Kenyan manufacturing, jobs, technology and industrial capability?
