The corporation will assemble cars for sale in Ethiopia

Toyota Corporation is set to upgrade and expand a Kenyan motor vehicle assembly company after buying 50 percent of its shares, Dennis Awori, chairman of Toyota Kenya said this week.

The Corporation's investment in the expansion of the motor vehicle assembly company reaches about three billion shillings.

Awori said that the plant would also serve as a regional vehicle, equipment and parts distribution centre. The company will expand the models assembled locally to include left hand Drive Vehicles for sale in Ethiopia, Burundi, Djibouti, Eritrea, Rwanda and Sudan.

Awori said that Toyota had a comprehensive investment plan for Eastern Africa covering several sectors including agriculture, energy and regional vehicle and parts distribution with the expanded vehicle assembly.

He said that Toyota would help bring harmony to the models of motor vehicles in the local market and hence effectively support the products during service by assembling affordable vehicles locally.

Currently, Kenya imports over 150,000 used saloon cars every year.

Source: KBC