Kenya to Align Imported and Locally Assembled Cars With UN Standards

Kenya’s Ministry of Roads and Transport is considering joining the UN’s WP.29 forum, which harmonises standards for vehicle design, manufacturing, safety and inspections. The ministry is inviting individuals, professional organisations and institutions to comment on the proposed accession, which could bring closer scrutiny of imported vehicles and components and align local production with international requirements. In 2025, Kenya imported vehicles worth Ksh131.6 billion and spare parts and related accessories worth about Ksh18.4 billion, while 13,692 vehicles were assembled locally and plants operated at roughly 30 per cent of capacity.