New car sales in Kenya slowed down in October as dealers dealt with reduced demand for the units in the wake of a tough economic environment.
Total units sold by the 35 brands with presence in the country closed the month at 1,109, the majority being imported parts that were assembled in the country.
This is about 9.6 per cent lower than the 1,227 units sold in September when the market picked up from a drop during the elections month.
Kenya Motor Industry Association (KMIA) data shows the year to October sales are also behind by 3,000 units.
Nevertheless, the market could witness a six-year high in sales if demand remains constant with December being a peak period mainly driven by Christmas and New Year gift purchases.
The industry sold a total of 11,045 units in the first 10 months of 2022, with a possibility of surpassing the 14,250 total sales for last year.
Numbers in August had dropped to 954 units, pegged on reduced activities during the elections period.
"Our August numbers dipped due to a two-weeks production during the August polls," Isuzu's director, of sales and marketing, Wanjohi Kangangi, notes.
Meanwhile, Isuzu continues to dominate the market selling 489 units last month, with a total of 4,940 vehicles in the year to October.
It was followed by Toyota (2,279) and Mitsubishi by Simba Corp which sold 1,031 units in the period.
Trucks have continued to dominate the market reflecting a strong construction sector and commercial activities.
They are followed by both single and double-cabin pick-ups widely used in light transport and farm activities.
New monthly car sales in the market however remain way below the average used-car imports of between 7,000 and 12,000, as Kenyans continue to prefer these ‘cheaper’ units.
They are mainly imported from Japan (80 per cent), United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates, Singapore and South Africa.
This has continued to dampen the government’s efforts to build the local industry by supporting local assemblers and dealers.
